News / Education
Fall in schools' pass rate alarms MPs
17 Aug 2014 at 15:34hrs | Views
MBIZO MP Settlement Chikwinya (MDC-T) has given notice to introduce a motion to debate the deteriorating standards of public education following the withdrawal of teachers' incentives by Primary and Secondary Education minister Lazarus Dokora.
The matter is set for debate when the National Assembly resumes sitting on August 26.
Chikwinya said the motion would recommend a reversal of the ban on holiday lessons and incentives for teachers.
He added that the MPs would push for the government to convene an all-stakeholders' conference to devise strategies to revive the education sector.
The motion which will be seconded by MDC-T proportional representation MP Evelyn Masaiti Muzungu also seeks to call for the reversal of a ban on entrance tests for Form One places.
"I give notice to move a motion that the House be deeply concerned about the deteriorating state of the public education system and extremely alarmed by the disruptive interference of the current Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Lazarus Dokora in the operations of schools," the notice for the motion read.
"We are worried about the conflicting and inconsistent policy pronouncements particularly with regards to the requirements for entry to teacher training, and we are worried about the declining pass rates at both primary and secondary school level," Chikwinya said.
The motion comes at a time when results for this year's Zimsec Ordinary and Advance Level June examinations indicated a sharp drop in pass rates.
Members of the public and teachers' unions blamed the surge in educational standards on Dokora.
Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe chief executive officer Manuel Nyawo said the low pass rate recorded in the June public examinations was a reflection of the low morale among teachers and called for the immediate reversal of the policy before the pass rate plunges further down in the November examinations.
Progressive Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general Raymond Majongwe called on the government to urgently address the issue of teachers' low morale and poor working conditions.
According to the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council, the 194 278 candidates who sat for the June O Level examinations recorded an average pass rate of 37,96% , which was 13% lower than last year's results.
Advanced Level results also showed a decline in the pass rate compared with the last two years.
The matter is set for debate when the National Assembly resumes sitting on August 26.
Chikwinya said the motion would recommend a reversal of the ban on holiday lessons and incentives for teachers.
He added that the MPs would push for the government to convene an all-stakeholders' conference to devise strategies to revive the education sector.
The motion which will be seconded by MDC-T proportional representation MP Evelyn Masaiti Muzungu also seeks to call for the reversal of a ban on entrance tests for Form One places.
"I give notice to move a motion that the House be deeply concerned about the deteriorating state of the public education system and extremely alarmed by the disruptive interference of the current Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Lazarus Dokora in the operations of schools," the notice for the motion read.
"We are worried about the conflicting and inconsistent policy pronouncements particularly with regards to the requirements for entry to teacher training, and we are worried about the declining pass rates at both primary and secondary school level," Chikwinya said.
The motion comes at a time when results for this year's Zimsec Ordinary and Advance Level June examinations indicated a sharp drop in pass rates.
Members of the public and teachers' unions blamed the surge in educational standards on Dokora.
Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe chief executive officer Manuel Nyawo said the low pass rate recorded in the June public examinations was a reflection of the low morale among teachers and called for the immediate reversal of the policy before the pass rate plunges further down in the November examinations.
Progressive Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general Raymond Majongwe called on the government to urgently address the issue of teachers' low morale and poor working conditions.
According to the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council, the 194 278 candidates who sat for the June O Level examinations recorded an average pass rate of 37,96% , which was 13% lower than last year's results.
Advanced Level results also showed a decline in the pass rate compared with the last two years.
Source - newsday
