News / Regional
Gukurahundi blamed for 0% pass rate
27 Jan 2014 at 06:51hrs | Views
THE poor Grade 7 results in the Matabeleland South province where some schools recorded a 0% pass rate has been blamed on Gukurahundi and the government's continued deployment of teachers who cannot speak the local languages.
Numerous primary schools in the province recording very poor marks in the 2013 Grade 7 examinations.
MDC Matabeleland South chairperson Pilate Ndebele said: "While children in other parts of the country were going to school and advancing their education, most people here were running for safety, especially in the 1980s when Gukurahundi was unleashed on this region," he said.
As a result, Ndebele said most people from Matabeleland South preferred to go to South Africa leaving their children with relatives who do not monitor their progress at school.
Ndebele also claimed that the deployment of teachers who cannot speak local languages to teach in primary schools from Grade 1 was a deliberate ploy by the government to ensure the region produces poor results.
He said the government had to introduce special entry level requirements for students from Matabeleland South to enrol at tertiary institutions so as to bridge the gap that he alleges was deliberately created.
Six primary schools in Gwanda district Gobadema, Glass Block 2, Ngoma, Matshetsheni, Tshongwe and Zelezele primary schools - and in Beitbridge, Jalukange and Mapai primary schools all failed to produce a single pupil who proceeded to Form 1 this year after they all recorded a zero percent pass rate in the 2013 Grade 7 exams.
Numerous primary schools in the province recording very poor marks in the 2013 Grade 7 examinations.
MDC Matabeleland South chairperson Pilate Ndebele said: "While children in other parts of the country were going to school and advancing their education, most people here were running for safety, especially in the 1980s when Gukurahundi was unleashed on this region," he said.
As a result, Ndebele said most people from Matabeleland South preferred to go to South Africa leaving their children with relatives who do not monitor their progress at school.
Ndebele also claimed that the deployment of teachers who cannot speak local languages to teach in primary schools from Grade 1 was a deliberate ploy by the government to ensure the region produces poor results.
He said the government had to introduce special entry level requirements for students from Matabeleland South to enrol at tertiary institutions so as to bridge the gap that he alleges was deliberately created.
Six primary schools in Gwanda district Gobadema, Glass Block 2, Ngoma, Matshetsheni, Tshongwe and Zelezele primary schools - and in Beitbridge, Jalukange and Mapai primary schools all failed to produce a single pupil who proceeded to Form 1 this year after they all recorded a zero percent pass rate in the 2013 Grade 7 exams.
Source - southerneye
