News / Education
Govt outlaws extra lesson for school kids
30 Mar 2014 at 09:55hrs | Views
The education minister also revealed that his ministry had outlawed the holding of holiday and extra lessons in all primary and secondary schools.
He said a circular notifying schools of the latest development had been sent to all schools around the country.
Dokora warned that any teacher or school head caught breaching the directive would risk being dismissed from service.
"With effect from this coming holiday we will not allow any school, teacher or headmaster to conduct holiday and extra lessons. Communication has already been sent to all schools and any one who defies this will face the music," he said.
He said the 13 weeks allocated in each term for learning were adequate for schoolchildren to grasp various concepts contained in their syllabi.
Dokora said there was no justification for holding holiday or extra lessons, pointing out that most schools and teachers were using the facility to fleece parents.
"The school curriculum is designed to transact in 13 weeks that are allocated per term. Extra lessons and holiday lessons are anti education. Any serious education philosopher, psychologist or teacher will tell you that optimal learning of a child can be achieved in 13 weeks.
"What we are simply saying is that teachers should focus on their mandate, that of teaching during the prescribed period. Some schools were now fleecing parents of their hard-earned money through these extra lessons and we are saying that should stop," he said.
Schools were used to holding extra lessons during school holidays to augment learning which would have occurred during the school terms, in light of the poor pass rates of pupils in public examinations.
In previous years schools used to apply to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education for authority to conduct holiday lessons. However, some schools abused the facility.
He said a circular notifying schools of the latest development had been sent to all schools around the country.
Dokora warned that any teacher or school head caught breaching the directive would risk being dismissed from service.
"With effect from this coming holiday we will not allow any school, teacher or headmaster to conduct holiday and extra lessons. Communication has already been sent to all schools and any one who defies this will face the music," he said.
He said the 13 weeks allocated in each term for learning were adequate for schoolchildren to grasp various concepts contained in their syllabi.
Dokora said there was no justification for holding holiday or extra lessons, pointing out that most schools and teachers were using the facility to fleece parents.
"The school curriculum is designed to transact in 13 weeks that are allocated per term. Extra lessons and holiday lessons are anti education. Any serious education philosopher, psychologist or teacher will tell you that optimal learning of a child can be achieved in 13 weeks.
"What we are simply saying is that teachers should focus on their mandate, that of teaching during the prescribed period. Some schools were now fleecing parents of their hard-earned money through these extra lessons and we are saying that should stop," he said.
Schools were used to holding extra lessons during school holidays to augment learning which would have occurred during the school terms, in light of the poor pass rates of pupils in public examinations.
In previous years schools used to apply to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education for authority to conduct holiday lessons. However, some schools abused the facility.
Source - Sunday News
