Govt to consolidate strategies of improving pass rate at schools

THE Government will consolidate strategies of improving the country's pass rate at schools with the major focus being put on developing a vibrant model of primary education, a Cabinet Minister said yesterday.

In an interview, newly appointed Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Lazarus Dokora said the mainstreaming of primary and secondary education would go a long way towards strengthening progress made in the education sector and improving its standards.

"The pass rate is an indicator of many factors. Research and experience has shown that low pass rates at Grade Seven and Ordinary Level are traced to some failures at primary level, possibly at Grade One," said Dokora.

"The fact that we are now focusing on primary and secondary education is commendable. It is incumbent that as a ministry we look at ways of strengthening our primary education to ensure that we lay a strong foundation for improved passes.

"You are aware that we have established the Early Childhood Development (ECD) classes in schools. The kind of foundation we lay at this level connects  with performance at Grade Seven and Ordinary Level and we will look at the possibility of mainstreaming that."

Previously education was bundled with sport, arts and culture into one ministry.

Now there is a stand alone Ministry of Sports, Arts and Culture, under Andrew Langa. Dokora also said his ministry would prioritise the adoption of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and equipping teachers with the required skills to execute their duties effectively.

"ICTs are a fact of modernisation and as a ministry we will find ways of enhancing their usage in schools. We will also focus on continuing development of teacher's skills," he said.

Turning to the recruitment of teachers after the Civil Service Commission (CSC) took over the responsibility, Dokora vowed to address the concerns over delays in filling up vacant teaching posts and urged the public to be patient.

"Recruiting teachers was a delegated function to the ministry and even at that time the ministry only made recommendations but the commission was the employer," he said.

"CSC has now taken full responsibility in line with the new constitution. The concerns raised were envisaged and no one should oppose the constitution now. I am sure concerns over the issue will be addressed in the next intake in January 2014."

He could not be drawn to comment on whether the Education Transition Fund (ETF), which was set up during the previous Government, would be maintained saying he would cross the bridge when he got to it.

Although Zimbabwe has the highest literacy rates in Africa, there have been concerns over low pass rates especially at Ordinary Level.

Last year's November Ordinary Level pass rate dropped from 19,5 percent in 2011 to 18,4 percent while Advanced Level passes also came down from 85,2 percent to 82,9 percent.

Zimbabwe has about 3 950 000 pupils at 8 065 schools. As a stopgap measure the Government has introduced the Performance Lag Address Programme (PLAP), to address learning anomalies and eradicate zero percent pass rate recorded in some schools.

The PLAP programme identifies the level or grade at which pupils stopped grasping learning concepts and accelerates them to be at par with other pupils at their level.