adminRicky Zililo Senior Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (Zimta) has blamed poor results in public examinations on the period when the economic crisis was at its worst as pupils lost learning time but still proceeded to higher grades. Zimbabwe lost thousands of qualified teachers during the 2007-09 period. They abandoned pupils to seek greener pastures outside the country.
Teachers have been blamed for poor results, especially in some parts of Matabeleland where some schools recorded zero percent pass rates.
Speaking on the sidelines of the recent Southern African Teachers’ Organisations (Sato) Games held in Zambia where Zimbabwe won the secretary-general post for the regional grouping, Zimta secretary-general John Mlilo said the economic melt down before the introduction of multiple currencies was haunting the country’s education sector.
“A situation prevailed in Zimbabwe between 2007-09 where we lost a number of teachers to neighbouring countries and at the end of the day that contributed to dismal performance of our O’ level students. People say teachers are not doing a great job but that is not true as that gap created by brain drain during the period is manifesting itself. Therefore, it is not fair to put the blame on teachers for results that came as a result of a brain drain that hit the profession,” Mlilo said.
The country lost some of its best mathematics and science teachers to neighbouring countries and even beyond the continent.
“As Sato members we have lots of challenges and we urge our governments to put in place a package that will retain teachers in their respective countries. As teachers’ organisations we are worried about good teachers that have been lost to the profession, migrating to countries outside the Sadc region as that doesn’t benefit our region,” he said.
Some schools in Matabeleland region have for the past years been producing poor results with last year’s results being among the worst. A total of 20 out of 134 schools in Matabeleland South Province recorded a zero percent pass rate in the Ordinary Level examinations. In Matabeleland North, 15 secondary schools recorded a zero percent pass rate.
Early this year, Chronicle published shocking poor results of Grade Seven, Ordinary level and Advanced level examinations recorded by schools in Matabeleland North, South and Bulawayo provinces. In Gwanda District for instance, six schools recorded a zero pass rate in the 2013 Grade Seven examinations. Shockingly, officials said there was an improvement compared to 2012 when 16 of the 107 schools in the district failed to produce a single pass.
The 2013 six schools of shame were identified as Glass Block 2, Gobadema, Matshetsheni, Ngoma, Tshongogwe and Zelezele.
In January, angry parents from Msithi Primary School in Filabusi summoned the school authorities for a meeting where they called for the removal of the headmaster following poor results as only one pupil passed with an aggregate of 15 units. The rest failed.
Only 10 secondary schools from Matabeleland made it into the national top 100 in the 2013 Ordinary level examinations list.
Mlilo said some of the teachers who had left the country want to be re-integrated into the system but were being frustrated, something which government needed to address so that there is an improvement in the education sector.
“Our system needs to be relaxed. The laws that govern exit and entry into the teaching profession are stringent.
“If teachers express interest to come and serve the country, surely there is a need to do something to relax these regulations so that we attract these professionals back,” said Mlilo.
Online Reporter