Zimbabwe govt to blame for poor pass rate in Matabeleland

The 2013 ZIMSEC academic results for O' and A' Level were released a fortnight ago and a lot of hullabaloo about the poor performance at a national scale made the headlines for most media houses. The detailed analysis of the results showed an improvement of just over 2% increase from the previous year.

Further analysis of both O and A level results revealed a worrying trend whereby schools in Matabeleland region performed badly serve for the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland (of which Iam a member) administered John Tallach, UCCSA run Inyathi High School (my former school), Marist Brothers-Dete, St Columbus, Mpopoma High and Pumula High amongst a few from this region.

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary education also added its voice of concern on the poor performance by the schools from this region and promised to send a task force to investigate the causes of such high failure rate if compared to other regions of Zimbabwe.

As a bona-fide resident of this region and have been a product of the education system of the region, i think the reason why most of our pupils perform so badly in their exams after four or six years of their academic study is not that they are really academically challenged but there a glut of underlying factors that contribute immensely to what the scenario we are currently witnessing.

# Skewed allocation of resources- for infrastructure development and rehabilitation of schools in the Matabeleland region since independence is now resulting in what we are experiencing now. Lack of commitment by the government of Zimbabwe to the development of Matabeleland region meant that very few secondary schools, in particular, were built to cover large and sparsely populated districts of the region, like Tsholotsho, Nkayi, Lupane, Filabusi amongst others. As a result pupils from this region end up travelling 15km to reach their nearest secondary school in the mornings and the same distance returning after school. Definately we can not expect pupils to perform well in such an environment. Take examples of pupils from Phelandaba or Butabubili in Tsholotsho whose only nearest secondary school is Khumbula mission, some 20kms away. Think of a child from cross Zenka, Mabayi, Gwamba in Nkayi whose nearest school is Mpumelelo High school some 11- 15 kms away.

# Deployment of non-local language speaking teachers in the Matabeleland region greatly affects the foundation of learning for the poor child in rural Matabeleland hence they perform badly as they would have failed to conceptualize the content since is delivered raw from the text books and detailed explanations delivered in a language foreign if not alien to them.

# De-industrialisation of Bulawayo has had a snowball effect to the economically active parents from this region as they were retrenched leading to not only food insecurity in their households but have been incapacitated with regards to taking care of their families fees requirements hence most children dropping out due to non-payment of fees. Now that the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) funding is taking ages to be availed to the disadvantaged and vulnerable children, it will definitely impact negatively pupils from this region, despite the shocking reality that those involved in the salary-gate scandal could manage to spend US$5000 a day for thirty days and still spare US$100 000 for their monthly family needs.

#Poor remuneration of teachers is another factor as these people have been literally turned to be a laughing stock in society. Schools that can convincingly incentivise their are the ones that top the top 100 list and the majority are from the eastern part of Zimbabwe. In that part of Zimbabwe teachers are motivated hence put an extra effort compared to a teacher from this region.

#Universities in the region have limited courses that can cater for the teachers' advancement needs compared to the programmes in Great Zimbabwe University, Bindura University, University of Zimbabwe and Chinhoyi University. Teachers from this region end up holding to their diplomas they obtain from Hillside Teachers College and United college of Education -UCE- fearing to go to Harare or outside places on half salaries from the meager income they are getting. That greatly affects the quality of content delivered.

#Bad state of the regions road discourages potential investors to access the secluded areas of the region hence level of technological advancement in our schools is also retarded robbing pupils the chance to benefit from modern technology in learning though the use of ITC.

It is high time the government took the responsibility and stop laying the blame on others.

Injobo enhle ithungelwa ebandla!

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Thembelani Dube-ka- Batshwayi if Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association's Secretary for Education.