Chronicle Editor
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Gwanda Correspondent
TEACHERS have urged Government to ensure that the recommended teacher-pupil ratios are adhered to as most schools were operating way above the set benchmarks.
The teachers said the obtaining situation was adversely affecting the perfomance of learners.
Speaking during a Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education continuous assessment framework stakeholder consultative meeting held in Gwanda last Friday, the teachers said Government had set ideal teacher-pupil ratios but they were not being adhered to.
According to the Ministry policy, the teacher-pupil ratio for primary school is 1:40 and at secondary school it is 1:35 from Form One to Form Four and 1:25 for Advanced Level classes.
Schools are forced to enrol learners beyond their carrying capacity due to a shortage of schools and teaching staff. Some secondary school classes have more than 50 learners.
A teacher from a local primary school who preferred not to be named told the meeting that at her school some classes had 65 or more learners.
“Government has on paper set the standard teacher-pupil ratios but schools are not sticking to these ratios. We are therefore appealing to Government to ensure this policy is adhered to as this is affecting the learning process,” she said.
The teacher said it was difficult to produce quality results when classes are too big making it impossible to concentrate on each and every pupil.
“The standard ratio for primary level is 1:40 but at my school there are classes with more that 60 pupils. Sometimes we end up compressing two classes into one because of shortage of teachers and learning space which is experienced mostly in rural schools,” said the teacher.
Another teacher from a secondary school in Gwanda who also preferred anonymity said it was difficult for teachers to effectively implement the updated curriculum or other learning programmes being introduced by Government as teachers are overwhelmed.
He said Government should prioritise the pupil-teacher ratios in as much as it prioritised implementation of other education policies.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is targeting to reintroduce continuous assessment for public examination classes at the beginning of the second term in May.
The Ministry is in consultation with education stakeholders on how the process should be implemented. Under the model Grade Seven, Ordinary and Advanced Level pupils will be graded on the basis of combined marks for continuous assessment and final examinations in keeping with provisions of the updated education curriculum.
Addressing the same meeting, ZIMSEC research manager, Mr Talent Kupfumira said continuous assessment will be done for all the subjects.
“The proposition is that learners should do Continuous Assessment Learning Activities (CALA) for every subject. The CALA will measure performance against the set standards or benchmarks as defined by the curriculum.
“These activities will recognise the acquisition of skills that will make learners productive, employable and have the capacity to create employment. Its purpose is to assess skills of learners,” he said.
Mr Kupfumira said CALA should be developed by teachers as they spend time with learners.
“The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and ZIMSEC will train teachers on how to develop CALA which will be relevant to their specific areas and needs of learners,” he said. — @DubeMatutu
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