Uproar over directive forcing Grade 7s to continue reporting to school after exams

PARENTS and teachers are livid over the Ministry of Secondary and Primary Education's directive compelling Grade Seven pupils to continue coming to school after completing writing their final examinations.

The ministry Friday issued a circular ordering pupils to stay put at their schools.

Education authorities argue during the period, learners must go through what it termed "life orientation programmes."

In an interview with NewZimbabwe.com, some teachers and parents said the directive was ill-advised, and serves no purpose, except placing financial burden on already struggling parents and guardians.

"Anything that is not a product of engagement is bad. Most pupils have closed and gone home, and to expect that under such hardships, a parent may pay boarding fees for a student that has written examinations is the worst lunacy.

"Grade 7 pupils have closed, period. This enunciation is too late and of no consequence," said Takawafira Zhou, president of the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ).

Zhou's sentiments were echoed by some parents, who questioned the motive of the exercise.

"How is this new programme going to be coordinated considering that it just an ad hoc activity, which just been announced by the ministry without any consultations at all.

"We hope this programme is not designed along the Border Gezi structure, whereby our children will be taught Zanu-PF propaganda.

"It is ridiculous to just wake up and announce a curriculum without student having familiarised with the syllabus before," said a parent who refused to be named for fear of victimization.

Another parent, who also refused to be named due to similar reasons, vowed that his child would not attend.

"Most parents are struggling to raise bus -fare for their children to go to school. It is ridiculous for the ministry to expect parents to continue incurring expenses on Grade Seven pupils when the children have already completed their examinations,"

"This is the time when parents should be saving money for Form One fees next year.  I will not allow my son to continue going to school to be taught useless programmes," said the parent.