Extra lessons pay dividends

There have been numerous media headlines supporting the extra lessons in schools that Minister Lazurus Dokora unilaterally banned. In most cases, an issue given such media prominence is matched with a commensurate attention at policy level. The media agenda affects public agenda and public agenda affects the policy agenda. In the context of the education policies that Cde Dokora has emotionally introduced, the media and public agendas have failed to influence the policy agenda.

Cde Dokora should consider lifting the ban on extra lessons because the stakeholders are in support of it. The ban is not helping parents in any way. It has rather proved to be more costly to the same parents that minister purportedly wants to protect.

Following the ban, teachers have resorted to renting some spaces in town where they are conducting the extra lessons. In addition to tuition fees, students are made to pay for the rentals. If these extra lessons were formalised in schools, parents would not pay such extra charges. Extra lessons have become a permanent component of our education system.

The fact that parents are still sending their children to remedial lessons shows that the policy was ill-advised. It is a policy that was crafted without consultation. A policy must benefit the stakeholders but this one seems to benefit no one save for the minister himself. The minister is crying more than the bereaved. The parents have the means for the extra lessons. It's unfortunate for those who cannot afford them, after all life has never been just to humankind.  There are haves and have-nots in society. Those who cannot afford should not make the loudest noises but live within their means as we are all doing.

I have also heard people discussing this issue in kombis and drinking places. There is a serious accusation that the ministers send their children to well resourced schools that have well paid and well motivated teachers. While I am not sure about the authenticity of the accusations, it's undisputed that a motivated and well paid teacher is a self starter who produces results. Extra lessons and incentives were also ways of motivating our children's teachers. We don't afford to send our children oversees or to the local elite schools for education. What we have been doing was paying dividends Cde Dokora.

An uninspired workforce is a threat to the nation's education. We risk undermining the achievements we have made in the education since independence. Currently, the country has the highest literacy rate in Africa. The fear is whether we will be able to sustain our lead with the apathetic educationists we now have. The government will not lose anything by allowing parents who afford, to send their children for extra lessons and pay incentives.

We understand that some teachers engage in extra lessons absolutely for financial gain. However, Cde Dokora must not throw out the baby with the bath water. Extra lessons are generally paying dividends.

Extra lessons have been in existence for a long time. Teachers could offer this service free of charge because they were well paid. They were motivated primarily by the desire to see their students coming out with flying colours. It's a fact that our teachers are not being handsomely paid and they have been stoically receiving the meager salaries without bothering the government.

The environment has changed and we must accept this reality. Monetary benefits are also a driving factor for these extra lessons. Teachers must, however, strike a balance between financial motivation and a commitment to children's education.