Matabeleland needs over 1 000 Maths, Science teachers

SCHOOLS in the Matabeleland region continue to face an acute shortage of Mathematics and Science teachers amid revelations that the three provinces in the region have a combined shortage of 1 048 teachers. Last year in June the region had a shortage of 900 Maths and Science teachers. The situation leaves pupils in the region at a(image) disadvantage compared to their colleagues in other regions, with institutions of higher learning having tightened their screws on Mathematics being a pre-requisite for enrolment.

Matabeleland South Province is the hardest hit of the three provinces with a shortage of 495 teachers at both Ordinary and Advanced Level. Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Professor Paul Mavhima confirmed the figures, noting that the ministry was coming up with a number of strategies to address the shortage.

"In Bulawayo they don't have a shortage at Ordinary Level but at Advanced Level there is a shortage of 47 Maths teachers and 131 Science teachers, in Matabeleland South; at O-level there is a shortage of 81 Maths and 118 Science teachers while at A-level there is a shortfall of 82 Maths and 50 Science teachers.

"In Matabeleland North at O-level we have a shortage of 78 Maths teachers and 101 Science teachers while at A-level there is a shortage of 64 Maths teachers and 132 Science teachers. However, it is our hope that with this teacher capacity development training programme, we get to address all these shortages," said Prof Mavhima.

According to statistics availed by the Zimbabwe Schools Examinations Council (Zimsec) the region's schools recorded the lowest per subject pass rates, a scenario that can be blamed on the shortage of Maths and Science teachers. Last year in O-level Maths non-calculator version the country recorded a pass rate of 26,17 percent, Integrated Science 31,52 percent, Biology 53,57 percent and Physical Science 71,57 percent. Physics recorded a pass rate of 85,73 percent, Chemistry 57,63 while in Human and Social Biology the pass rate was pegged at 34,59 percent.

In terms of the three provinces in the Matabeleland region, in Maths, Bulawayo recorded a pass rate of 28,5 percent, while Matabeleland North and South provinces recorded the lowest pass rates at 14,6 and 14 percent respectively. In Intergrated Science the three provinces were the lowest ranked; Bulawayo (28,7 percent), Matabeleland North (28,8 percent) and Matabeleland South (27,6 percent). In Biology the three provinces were also the lowest ranked with Bulawayo recording a pass rate of 42,6 percent, Matabeleland North 33,8 percent and Matabeleland South 37,9 percent.

The capacity development of teachers comes at a time when Government has initiated the Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) programme to encourage more students to take up science subjects with those registering for sciences at A-level this year getting financial assistance. The Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development last week revealed that over 3 000 pupils had registered for STEM, with

1 425 drawn from the southern provinces. Harare tops the list with 580 pupils, Midlands is second with 458, Manicaland third at 456 followed by Bulawayo (400), Masvingo (295), Matabeleland South (158) and Matabeleland North (114).

Using his micro-blogging account on twitter last week, Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo said over $700 000 has so far been spent in paying fees for pupils who registered for the STEM initiative. A total of $4 million was reserved for the scheme with the Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund (Zimdef) paying school fees and levies for STEM takers at Government and mission schools across the country.