News / Education
Zimbabwe to increase primary school years from 2015
08 Dec 2014 at 11:04hrs | Views
The pronouncements by the ministry of primary and secondary schools that it is going to follow recommendations of the Nziramasanga commission on education, by introducing mandatory Early Childhood Development (ECD) A and B, in primary schools has somewhat divided public opinion, with many parents and educators castigating the ministry for introducing policies without consulting all the relevant stakeholders.
The development which will see primary school education years increasing, is already gathering momentum, with the ministry announcing that teacher training institutions will be enrolling more and subsequently churn out graduates specialising in ECD.
There is an old adage that says 'catch them young, which seems to resonate well with the ministry's thinking of getting children into the school system as young as possible, at a time when they are easy to nature and cultivate the necessary culture in preparation for their latter school years. The development, according to some proponents in favour of the idea, is one of the necessary measures that could be a panacea to the below par pass rate at ordinary level, for long hovering around plus or minus 20%.
Whatever pros that can be cited for the introduction of mandatory ECD A and B, it seems education has been eroded by the current economic quagmire that the nation is faced with. With most parents out of employment and lucky ones, financially hamstrung with low disposable income coupled with too many bills, this development of increasing years of learning will undoubtedly further take a portion and tightening the leash on already constrained family budgets.
'This is going to be a challenge for most parents, the economy is not functioning well at the moment and more years in school for these children means the education bill will increase, unless the government makes it free, I don't see this as a necessity at all,' said Molly Nyandoro, a Mtoko parent.
According to one education officer who preferred anonymity as they are not allowed to speak to the media, "introducing children into the school system at such a tender age is tantamount to surrendering them into the hands of mostly government teachers who are poorly remunerated in comparison to their counterparts in the kindergarten (crèche), bringing forth the question of whether they will be able to offer the extra care needed like wiping when they mess up, and accompanying them to the toilets."
Harare based teacher, a Murotwa, said he believed the current one year of ECD is more than enough.
‘‘Unless the measure is meant for baby sitting to help those working parents who are being fleeced by Day Care Centres ,there is no problem ,'' he said.
No matter what benefits the introduction of ECD A and B has, the evident scenario is that it will be difficult to implement in most schools, with the rural ones the hardest hit. A female head from Shamva who spoke on condition of anonymity said the fee approved is not adequate and developments in infrastructure had stalled as the government itself has not been forthcoming.
At Admiral Tait Primary School in Harare, Eastlea, where this news crew was part of the applicants in June, about 290 parents jostled for only 20 ECD A places for 2015, which is a true reflection of the infrastructural challenges many schools are facing, more so in accommodating infants. Recently, a Bulawayo daily reported that Insiza education district managed to get one qualified ECD teacher of the 879 educators needed.
The lack of sufficient infrastructure has led to some schools having to do with hot sitting to accommodate all classes and quite evidently, there will be a challenge in accommodating three and half to four year olds who need special ablution facilities and related infrastructure.
The issue of ECD A and B ranks among one of raft measures introduced by the education ministry since Lazarus Dokora took over the reigns, many of which have caused discord and discontent among stakeholders in the education sector; parents and teachers included.
The development which will see primary school education years increasing, is already gathering momentum, with the ministry announcing that teacher training institutions will be enrolling more and subsequently churn out graduates specialising in ECD.
There is an old adage that says 'catch them young, which seems to resonate well with the ministry's thinking of getting children into the school system as young as possible, at a time when they are easy to nature and cultivate the necessary culture in preparation for their latter school years. The development, according to some proponents in favour of the idea, is one of the necessary measures that could be a panacea to the below par pass rate at ordinary level, for long hovering around plus or minus 20%.
Whatever pros that can be cited for the introduction of mandatory ECD A and B, it seems education has been eroded by the current economic quagmire that the nation is faced with. With most parents out of employment and lucky ones, financially hamstrung with low disposable income coupled with too many bills, this development of increasing years of learning will undoubtedly further take a portion and tightening the leash on already constrained family budgets.
'This is going to be a challenge for most parents, the economy is not functioning well at the moment and more years in school for these children means the education bill will increase, unless the government makes it free, I don't see this as a necessity at all,' said Molly Nyandoro, a Mtoko parent.
According to one education officer who preferred anonymity as they are not allowed to speak to the media, "introducing children into the school system at such a tender age is tantamount to surrendering them into the hands of mostly government teachers who are poorly remunerated in comparison to their counterparts in the kindergarten (crèche), bringing forth the question of whether they will be able to offer the extra care needed like wiping when they mess up, and accompanying them to the toilets."
Harare based teacher, a Murotwa, said he believed the current one year of ECD is more than enough.
‘‘Unless the measure is meant for baby sitting to help those working parents who are being fleeced by Day Care Centres ,there is no problem ,'' he said.
No matter what benefits the introduction of ECD A and B has, the evident scenario is that it will be difficult to implement in most schools, with the rural ones the hardest hit. A female head from Shamva who spoke on condition of anonymity said the fee approved is not adequate and developments in infrastructure had stalled as the government itself has not been forthcoming.
At Admiral Tait Primary School in Harare, Eastlea, where this news crew was part of the applicants in June, about 290 parents jostled for only 20 ECD A places for 2015, which is a true reflection of the infrastructural challenges many schools are facing, more so in accommodating infants. Recently, a Bulawayo daily reported that Insiza education district managed to get one qualified ECD teacher of the 879 educators needed.
The lack of sufficient infrastructure has led to some schools having to do with hot sitting to accommodate all classes and quite evidently, there will be a challenge in accommodating three and half to four year olds who need special ablution facilities and related infrastructure.
The issue of ECD A and B ranks among one of raft measures introduced by the education ministry since Lazarus Dokora took over the reigns, many of which have caused discord and discontent among stakeholders in the education sector; parents and teachers included.
Source - Zim Mail
