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The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education should admit that its newly introduced electronic application system for Form One boarding places for 2017 has serious challenges that may disadvantage pupils especially those in rural areas.
We totally agree with the Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (Zimta) that the system is unworkable and meant to disadvantage pupils that have no access to internet. What boggles the mind is that the Ministry had to wait to announce the new system this month when some schools had already enrolled Form One pupils for next year.
It is only last week that the Ministry started running adverts to educate parents on the new application system. The parents have described the new system as complex and inaccessible to most of them. The system dubbed electronic Ministry Application Platform (eMAP) was announced last week and the Minister, Dr lazarus Dokora, said at a Press conference in Harare that the application process was going to be conducted on December 16.
Many parents were therefore taken by surprise to learn from Dr Dokora yesterday that the process started last Friday and more than 5 500 pupils had already applied through the new system. Minister Dokora said the applicants were supposed to start receiving responses yesterday.
The changing dates have added to the confusion and the late education campaign has not helped the situation. The ministry, as noted by Zimta, had the whole year to engage stakeholders on the new system and work on its shortcomings.
The need to fight corruption is very noble but in trying to correct a wrong, the ministry might worsen the situation if it does not take heed of the concerns raised by parents and other relevant bodies such as Zimta.
Last Friday, Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced that he had summoned Minister Dokora to explain the confusion surrounding the new enrolment system. Stakeholders attending the 2016 Business Review Conference organised by the Zimbabwe Chamber of Commerce had asked Cde Mnangagwa to explain the new enrolment system.
Cde Mnangagwa who professed ignorance on the new system, said he had summoned Dr Dokora to explain. What is clear is that even those in Government including such high offices as that of Cde Mnangagwa are in the dark regarding how the new system works. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) experts have said they doubt the ministry’s ability to run such a vast network.
One of the experts, Mr Chris Musodza said the access to internet in the country may not be sufficient for the new system to work effectively. He said the internet penetration was still at 51 percent according to latest Potraz report. Mr Musodza said internet penetration is supposed to be about 80 percent in order to smoothly implement the new enrolment system.
We have nothing against technological advancement meant to improve efficiency and curb corruption. What is however unacceptable is to disadvantage the poor who cannot have access to the technology as is the case with the new enrolment system.
We want at this juncture to implore the Education Ministry to review the system given the many reservations expressed by stakeholders who include parents, teachers, school administrators and ICT experts.
What is feasible at the moment is probably to run concurrently the old and new system of enrolling Form One boarding pupils until such a time when Government is satisfied that the new system is running smoothly. During the transition period, the ministry would then attend to all the shortcomings such as lack of access to the internet.
Online Reporter
Bongani Ndlovu