adminTemba Dube Senior Reporter
ONLY five out of 70 pupils who sat for the O-Level Literature in English examination at Mandwandwe High School in Bulawayo last year, passed after their teacher allegedly taught them wrong syllabus.Those who passed barely made it with Cs.
A confidential document leaked to Chronicle showing results analyses indicates that 40 pupils scored U, 18 got Es, and seven came out the Ds.
Parents have accused the school, which is situated in Nkulumane suburb, of trying to sweep the issue under the carpet.
Israel Ndlovu, the head of the English and Literature Department at the school allegedly used a syllabus that was discontinued in 2012 to teach the pupils.
Parents who spoke to Chronicle demanded action from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.
“We have been told about the syllabus issue. It is painful that the future of more than 60 pupils has been destroyed but no one is taking action. The ministry should investigate how such a thing could happen. We will not be refunded the exam fee that we paid and our children will not be able to make up the two years they wasted on a defunct syllabus,” said one of the parents.
Sources at the school said at a meeting last week, one of the teachers reportedly raised the syllabus issue but was quickly told to shut up by other members of staff.
“I do not think this thing has been reported at the District Education Offices. It is a chargeable offence. If the teacher failed to realise his mistake, the headmaster should have picked it up when inspecting his scheme book. It is impossible to explain the issue,” said one of the sources.
Another source said the same pupils who dismally failed Literature in English passed English Language with flying colours. “This shows that the pupils are not dull. If the school is serious, there should be major changes in the English Department,” said the source.
The headmaster, Litmus Moyo was said to be out of office when Chronicle called seeking a comment.
A man who was said to be the deputy head, a Moyo took the call but after he had been told what the issue was about, the phone was suddenly disconnected.
When the school number was re-dialled, he was also said to be out of office. Bulawayo Provincial Education Director Dan Moyo said the matter had not been reported to his office.
“That is news to me. Such an issue is yet to be reported to my office,” said Moyo.
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