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Teachers should not be blamed for poor pass rates
2 hrs ago |
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The Educators Union of Zimbabwe (EUZ) has warned against blaming teachers for poor examination results in Matabeleland South, saying a wide range of factors, including the role of Government and other education stakeholders, should be examined.
The union's president, Tafadzwa Munodawafa, was responding to recent calls by Matabeleland South Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Albert Nguluvhe for non-performing teachers to be dismissed and replaced by hundreds of unemployed teachers returning from South Africa amid reports of xenophobic attacks.
Munodawafa said poor pass rates, including the reported 0% pass rate recorded at 11 schools, should trigger a comprehensive education audit rather than result in teachers being made scapegoats.
"We caution against creating a narrative in which teachers become the scapegoats for poor educational outcomes. A 0% pass rate in 11 schools should prompt a comprehensive provincial education audit to establish the underlying causes and identify schools that require urgent intervention," Munodawafa said.
She said Government, education authorities, school leadership, teachers, parents and communities all had a role to play in improving learner performance.
"Rather than simply asking teachers to leave Matabeleland South, we should be asking: why are these schools failing? What support do these teachers and learners need? What interventions have already been implemented, and have they been effective?" she said.
Matabeleland South Chief Education Director Beatrice Manjere also acknowledged that poor pass rates could not be attributed to teachers alone.
"It is not the teachers alone who can contribute towards poor pass rates. There are a lot of factors, but we always encourage our teachers to do their best to achieve higher pass rates," she said.
The union said a comprehensive assessment of the province's education system would help identify the underlying challenges and ensure that interventions are targeted at the schools and learners most in need of support.
The union's president, Tafadzwa Munodawafa, was responding to recent calls by Matabeleland South Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Albert Nguluvhe for non-performing teachers to be dismissed and replaced by hundreds of unemployed teachers returning from South Africa amid reports of xenophobic attacks.
Munodawafa said poor pass rates, including the reported 0% pass rate recorded at 11 schools, should trigger a comprehensive education audit rather than result in teachers being made scapegoats.
"We caution against creating a narrative in which teachers become the scapegoats for poor educational outcomes. A 0% pass rate in 11 schools should prompt a comprehensive provincial education audit to establish the underlying causes and identify schools that require urgent intervention," Munodawafa said.
She said Government, education authorities, school leadership, teachers, parents and communities all had a role to play in improving learner performance.
"Rather than simply asking teachers to leave Matabeleland South, we should be asking: why are these schools failing? What support do these teachers and learners need? What interventions have already been implemented, and have they been effective?" she said.
Matabeleland South Chief Education Director Beatrice Manjere also acknowledged that poor pass rates could not be attributed to teachers alone.
"It is not the teachers alone who can contribute towards poor pass rates. There are a lot of factors, but we always encourage our teachers to do their best to achieve higher pass rates," she said.
The union said a comprehensive assessment of the province's education system would help identify the underlying challenges and ensure that interventions are targeted at the schools and learners most in need of support.
Source - Mirror
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