adminPamela Shumba Senior Reporter
DOMINICAN Convent High School in Bulawayo has been teaching the wrong Cambridge examinations Bible Knowledge syllabus to Ordinary Level pupils, The Chronicle has learnt. The school discovered the mistake just three months before pupils sit for their final examination. Parents have since been notified that their children will have to work harder for them to pass the subject, a development that has sent some pupils into panic mode.
Pupils at the Catholic-run school are paying $1,300 school fees per term and 45 British pounds examination fees per O-Level Cambridge subject.
The Chronicle has a copy of a letter directed to the parents written and signed by the school’s headmistress, Rudo Matsika, explaining the syllabus challenge.
Said Matsika: “I am writing to let you know that there are some changes in the Bible Knowledge 2015 examination papers which the department had overlooked. We have, however, put measures in place to cover the necessary aspects that have not yet been covered.”
Matsika said pupils would receive handouts instead of writing their own notes and focus on covering assessment objectives that still need attention.
“I have explained in detail to the girls and taken them through the changes to make them realise that they have already covered most of what they need for their examination but will need to work harder,” she said.
In the letter dated July 16, 2015, Matsika advised parents who wanted their daughters to drop Bible Knowledge to inform the school before July 20, 2015, which was the date for Cambridge to finalise its registration process.
The school’s board chairperson, Francis Manamike, denied reports that the pupils had been taught the wrong syllabus. He said the department only overlooked a few changes.
Manamike said the problem was caused by a breakdown in communication between the school and the Cambridge examination board.
“The department overlooked some changes in the 2015 exam syllabus. The error has since been rectified,” said Manamike without giving further details.
The blunder was discovered after Form 4 pupils reportedly told their teacher, only identified as Tanhamo, that there was something wrong with the syllabus. Sources told The Chronicle that Tanhamo has since been relieved of his duties.
Parents who spoke to The Chronicle expressed disappointment over the wrong syllabus issue. They said the blunder had seriously affected their children.
“This is a serious issue that has affected our children. It’s their future at stake here and most of them are already panicking. There isn’t enough time to learn a completely new unit of work,” said one parent.
“We pay school fees every term so that the school offers quality education to our children without excuses. It’s sad that someone sat on his or her job and took our children’s education for granted. Examinations are starting in October and our children are already feeling left out.”
A number of schools have recorded poor pass rates after pupils were taught the wrong syllabus by their teachers. Last year, a majority of pupils at Mandwandwe High School failed their ZimSec O-Level Literature in English examination after their teacher allegedly taught them a wrong syllabus.
According to a document analysing the results, 40 pupils scored Us, 18 got Es, and seven had Ds. Only five passed with Cs.
Online Reporter