PROTUZ opposes abolishing external exams

PROFESSIONAL Teachers Union of Zambia (PROTUZ) has opposed to the decision by the Ministry of General Education to abolish the external examinations for Grade Nines.

PROTUZ Secretary General Kangwa Munsenga has said that the decision by the Minister, David Mabumba will not resolve anything.

Mr Musenga told the Daily Nation in Livingstone that what the ministry should have considered is to change the education curriculum and come up with measures that would strengthen the educational system without abolishing the exams.

Reacting to the decision by the ministry, Mr Musenga said that PROTUZ was of the view that there must be a serious revision of the decision. “In the first place the abolishment of external Grade Nine examination is a blow on those who thought when they fail, they can still rewrite the exams as it was a tradition in the education sector of the country without repeating,” he said.

“We feel there must be a serious revision on that announcement. We are not convinced it will resolve anything to the strengthening of the education systems just by repeating,” observed Mr Musenga.

He charged that the labour movement feels the need for a proper debate between the ministry and stakeholders. Mr Musenga stressed that the only issue required is a mindset change of those who write Grade Nine exams but fail to make it.

“There is no guarantee that if one fails in one subject then they cannot be able to proceed. We need to help our education systems, we now need to start moving the curriculum to the learners,” he said.

And Mr Musenga has raised concerns over the lack of space which has been caused by congestion in classrooms in government schools.