News / National
Underperforming schools in intensive holiday classes
28 Aug 2019 at 07:33hrs | Views
MORE than 400 Grade Seven pupils from primary schools that often register zero pass percent rates in Lupane District are undergoing intensive holiday learning at Lupane Primary to improve pass rates.
The programme is a partnership between Lupane State University (LSU) and the University of the Free State (UFS) in South Africa to improve pass rates in primary and secondary schools in Matabeleland North.
LSU, through its Department of Educational Foundations, initiated the zero pass rate initiative two months ago to improve the academic performance of learners through the creation of a conducive learning environment and adopting learning strategies that address the needs of underperforming schools and pupils.
Lupane District Schools Inspector, Mr Lovemore Ncube, said underperforming schools had each been asked to provide five learners. The Catholic run AMR and Seventh Day Adventist Mtshibini had 100 and 98 percent pass rates respectively.
"We asked schools to provide five learners each and we have 412 in camp. We have experts who are responsible for assessment and have been with the learners for the past 10 days," said Mr Ncube.
The camp ends this week with pupils writing an assessment test while the co-ordinators will compile a report about the learners' preparedness ahead of the this year's Grade Seven final examinations.
Lecturers from LSU and UFS are providing expertise. Eleven specialist teachers from the district were seconded to the programme. "The advantage of this programme is that after these 10 days the learners would have been assisted to prepare and revise for the coming examinations. Our idea is to make use of the available brains and take our schools from the perennial bottom list and overturn the status quo through sharing of skills in what we can call public-private partnerships," said Mr Ncube.
He said ultimately the programme would spread to other districts and its aim is to bridge the gap between performing and underperforming schools and pupils.
The intended outcome is complete eradication of the zero percent pass rate. The partnership between the two institutions of higher learning is an opportunity to engage with rural education issues and experience learning ecology.
The programme involves identifying underperforming institutions and pupils basing on Grade Seven, Ordinary and Advanced level general examination results, as well as expert teachers who would facilitate coaching during school holidays.
The programme is a partnership between Lupane State University (LSU) and the University of the Free State (UFS) in South Africa to improve pass rates in primary and secondary schools in Matabeleland North.
LSU, through its Department of Educational Foundations, initiated the zero pass rate initiative two months ago to improve the academic performance of learners through the creation of a conducive learning environment and adopting learning strategies that address the needs of underperforming schools and pupils.
Lupane District Schools Inspector, Mr Lovemore Ncube, said underperforming schools had each been asked to provide five learners. The Catholic run AMR and Seventh Day Adventist Mtshibini had 100 and 98 percent pass rates respectively.
"We asked schools to provide five learners each and we have 412 in camp. We have experts who are responsible for assessment and have been with the learners for the past 10 days," said Mr Ncube.
Lecturers from LSU and UFS are providing expertise. Eleven specialist teachers from the district were seconded to the programme. "The advantage of this programme is that after these 10 days the learners would have been assisted to prepare and revise for the coming examinations. Our idea is to make use of the available brains and take our schools from the perennial bottom list and overturn the status quo through sharing of skills in what we can call public-private partnerships," said Mr Ncube.
He said ultimately the programme would spread to other districts and its aim is to bridge the gap between performing and underperforming schools and pupils.
The intended outcome is complete eradication of the zero percent pass rate. The partnership between the two institutions of higher learning is an opportunity to engage with rural education issues and experience learning ecology.
The programme involves identifying underperforming institutions and pupils basing on Grade Seven, Ordinary and Advanced level general examination results, as well as expert teachers who would facilitate coaching during school holidays.
Source - chronicle
