Govt lifts ban on extra lessons

Harare Bureau
The Government has lifted its ban on extra lessons mainly for classes that will sit public examinations towards year-end and pupils who lost learning time due to unforeseen circumstances.Applications for the lessons were expected to have reached provincial education directors “not later than two weeks before the end of the term”, according to new regulations.

Schools close this week.

It could not be established how many schools had sent their applications.

Primary and Secondary Education Minister, Cde Lazarus Dokora, banned extra lessons late last year in a bid to cushion hard-pressed parents from unscrupulous school authorities that were demanding huge sums of money.

Teacher representatives such as the Progressive Teachers’ Union in Zimbabwe (PTUZ) have fiercely criticised the ban, saying it demoralised “poorly remunerated” teachers.

Cde Dokora later claimed he had never banned the lessons, saying he was only trying to restore order in the education sector.

The moratorium on extra lessons was first lifted in April when the ministry’s Secretary Mrs Constance Chigwamba sent a circular to school heads advising them to seek permission to conduct extra lessons during school holidays.

In a second circular dated July 18 2014 (Reference (number) A/181/1) and sent to schools countrywide, Mrs Chigwamba said learning institutions should resume extra lessons only after seeking authorisation.

Consideration for lessons will be given to classes sitting Grade 7, Ordinary and Advanced Level examinations as well as those compensating unforeseen loss of learning time, innovative use of teacher expertise and limited infrastructure.

Mrs Chigwamba said lessons for public examination classes should not exceed 12 days during the August-September school holiday.

She said pupils and students requiring boarding facilities would only pay boarding fees calculated on a pro rata basis.

“In compliance with the annual school calendar, all schools are encouraged to make optimal use of the teaching and learning times as provided for on school timetables,” said Mrs Chigwamba in the circular.

“However, the provision for schools to apply for authority to conduct lessons during school holidays still applies.”