adminSukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
MZWANYANA Secondary School in Bulilima District, which has Form One and Two classes, is operating with just the school head and her deputy.The deputy school head, who declined to be named, told Matabeleland South provincial administrator Midard Khumalo during a visit to the school last week that she was teaching five subjects with the head teaching four.
“The school has two classes, one for Form One and another for Form Two. We have 90 pupils and all of them are doing nine subjects,” she said.
The deputy head said since there were no teachers, she and her boss were sharing the subjects.
“I am teaching five subjects and my colleague takes the remaining four,” she said.
Khumalo said he was shocked to learn that the school was operating with just the head and her deputy.
He said there was urgent need to address the issue of a shortage of teachers at the school which is still under construction.
“This is a terrible situation because at secondary level teachers specialise in particular subjects. A teacher cannot be gifted in every subject more so having one teaching four or five subjects,” he said.
Khumalo urged local authorities to closely monitor schools in their districts so that they could assist them in improving the learning environment.
“Pupils at this school for example are being shortchanged as there is a serious shortage of teachers which will adversely affect their performance. Form One and Two are critical as they are the foundation of secondary education,” he said.
A district education officer who preferred anonymity said a list of vacant teaching posts in the district had been submitted to the relevant authorities who were yet to act.
“We submitted the number of teachers needed in the district to the appointing office at the start of the term,” said the official.
Online Reporter