Holistic approach will wipe out 0pc pass rates

T is rather inexplicable that a school in Zimbabwe can get a zero percent pass rate in national examinations. Zero? We brag of the highest literacy rate in Africa and churn out many highly qualified teachers, hence to have such statistics takes all and sundry aback.

Revelations that there are some schools in Zimbabwe that record a zero percent pass rate are a cause for concern and call for both the Government and stakeholders to intervene and bring things to order.

Even the Government has expressed concern over the performance of some schools in national examinations, amid indications that over 250 primary and secondary schools mostly satellite across the country recorded zero percent pass rates in the 2018 examinations.

A similar trend was noted in secondary schools where 194 schools had zero percent pass rate last year. Such depressed figures, which were mostly recorded in satellite schools, call for immediate redress by the Government and other stakeholders in the education sector to ensure Zimbabwe maintains its literacy level of more than 90 percent in Africa.

We believe the zero percent pass rate in some schools could be a result of a coterie of challenges which include, but are not confined to infrastructural challenges, lack of learning and

100 years ago

SALISBURY, 2 April 1919. Although a large number of the officials have associated themselves with the Board of Control, too much importance need not be attached to the fact, as the men, both officials and employees, have obviously been carried away by the headlong tactics of the leaders and have acted without any appreciation whatever of the revolutionary steps they were taking.

Only two members of the Town Councils, Messrs Clark and Kentridge, support the Board of Control, The Federation of Trades have announced that they are “not in any way associated with it,” and now the Strike Committee have issued a statement that; “it may be understood that the Board of Control does not usurp the functions of the Town Council.”

The fact is, however, that whatever may be the intentions of the Strike Committees the municipal services of Johannesburg are at the present time in the hands of the employees, acting exclusively under the Board of Control.

75 years ago

SALISBURY, 2 April 1944. The speech of Mr D. Macintyre, Leader of the Southern Rhodesia Labour Party, at Queensdale on Friday, will do little to remove public uneasiness regarding the movement to bring the natives of the Colony into active association with party politics.

In approving the establishment of “one branch only” the native headquarters branch of the Party Mr Macintyre shows a strange inconsistency when he goes on to say: “The object is that all sections of the native community could be represented on this branch . . . and by doing this branch . . . and by doing this any overwhelming representation would be avoided.”

This seems to suggest that the Party itself has some qualms about the desirability of mixing up natives with politics; it suggests democracy with a brake on“a thus, far and no further policy; and doubts about where this one step is going to lead.

50 years ago

SALISBURY, 2 April 1969. A form of residential segregation based on the proposed property owners (Residential Protection) Bill was needed in Rhodesia to solve the problems created by the infiltration of Asians and Coloureds into predominantly European areas, the secretary of the Belvedere Residents’ Association, Mr J. F. Whiting, said yesterday.

Mr Whiting said areas or suburbs should be set aside specifically for particular groups or communities and he advocated additional non-racial suburbs in “more salubrious” areas for people who wished to live in such areas.

Mr Whiting’s statement comes at a time when argument over residential segregation is again on the increase.

Protests have come from Asian and Coloured organisations against Rhodesians Front proposals on land tenure and “property protection” legislation.

There is even argument within the over the proposals and the scope of the proposed land Tenure Act in the party’s constitutional proposals and accompanying legislation on property protection.

25 years ago

HARARE, 2 April 1994. Sixteen farms, covering tens of thousands hectares, will soon be designated for resettlement, bring the number of designated farms to 101 since the enactment of the Land Acquisition Act in July 1992.

The Minister of Lands, Agriculture and Water Development, Cde Kumbirai Kangai told journalists in Harare on Wednesday, that his ministry had submitted the list of the farms to President Mugabe for signing before gazetting.

Most farmers whose farms had been designated had not been paid yet.

However, Cde Kangai said this would be addressed in the Budge this fiscal year.

The Government intends to acquire 5 million hectares. At least 60 000 families have been resettled so far on more than 3,3 million hectares since the exercise started in 1980.

If this settled land, 2,7 million hectares was bought from large commercial farmers while the reminder was already State land.

A total 8,3 million hectares acres needed for resettlement. teaching materials, teaching skills and demotivated teaching personnel.

Of immediate concern would be the rehabilitation or construction of proper buildings at satellite schools that were set up at the beginning of the land reform programme to ensure schoolchildren could not walk for long distances.

The majority of these satellites schools suffer from the scarcity of resources such as classroom blocks, furniture, learning and teaching material, textbooks and qualified teachers who shun the environment.

The few qualified teachers who remain behind often have to contend with poor staff accommodation, dilapidated infrastructure, poor transport links, higher workloads and poor remuneration, in addition to lack of teaching materials.

Such an environment where there are salary and remuneration disparities among teachers in the same ministry doing the same type of work and with similar qualifications naturally compromises the quality of work done as those working under difficult conditions are always demoralised.

Sadly, the zero percent pass rates, are some of the results that the parents get out of such a teacher. We, however, believe that, though dire, the situation in such schools is not yet beyond redress. Rehabilitation of satellite schools would be the first remedial step.

The Government cannot do it alone, and has on several occasions called out on the private sector to invest in educational infrastructure to improve the quality of education and skills development.

Already the Government has since indicated that it needs to build 20 000 primary education schools.

This is a huge project that needs a buy-in from the private sector, with several windows of investment opportunities that includes build, operate and transfer, build, operate, own and transfer arrangements and public-private sector partnerships.

Quick redress of the infrastructure would need to be tied in with training and incentivising the teaching staff as part of long term measures to improve results throughout.

The education ministry will quickly need to move and up skill its teaching personnel through on-service training to improve and update teacher’s skills following the introduction of the new curriculum.

In 2017, the Government adopted a new curriculum framework that is expected to run until 2022 and forms part of the implementation of the recommendations of the Nziramasanga Commission of Inquiry into Education and Training.

The new curriculum that is already running is based on five pillars, namely the legal and regulatory framework, teacher capacity and development, teacher professional standards and infrastructure development.

Its successful adoption and implementation will heavily hinge on successfully implementation by a skilled, prepared and well-resourced teaching personnel. In that regard, the Government could create social benefits for schoolteachers as a means to enhance and motivate them, in additional to their salaries.

Additionally, the employer could also put in place, opportunities for training and promotion, bonuses and good performance measures, that foster career development, while motivating the teaching staff. Responses “Comment: Idai aid:

must stop chasing shadows” Correct and it was equally bad that the young bubbling, but fading politician appeared in one of the pictures riding an ox-drawn cart in a bid to grab attention but alas this backfired. @Eish.

*** Under such circumstances is it really necessary to play political games? I saw one Charlton Hwende on social media about one Chamisa in his Gucci shoes attempting to hold a shovel and being touted as the people’s president. Really? Was that the purpose of his visit? To campaign in such trying circumstances? @Masaisayi.

*** wanted to tarnish the image of

and yet they offered nothing to the victims of Cyclone Idai. It’s high time political parties should stop the blame game and put more effort in working for the people. @Nkosana. *** Response to “Winter wheat planting season gets underway” The Government should fully support wheat farming so that it will save foreign currency on wheat imports. @Dabu. Response in historic

Bulawayo poll win” After realising that the opposition members have been dining with the West to inflict more pain on ordinary Zimbabweans I wonder what type of people would continue supporting these guys. It’s game over as we now know the main source of our problem. Eliah. Responses “Zinara tender backfires for director, boss” Editor, if many veils of incorporation were to be pierced for many companies doing business with public enterprises, cans of corruption worms would be exposed, if I may be allowed to suspect. Cde Mzvinavhu (Prof).

*** The investigating officer failed to attend court because of illness? I think he was bribed and this case will be thrown out of court due to lack of evidence. Yowe.

*** Yes development is key, nurturing

players is key. I will give three examples. In 1980, the first Under 20 team. Japhet Muparutsa, James Takavada, Joel Shambo, Ephraim Dzimbiri, David Mwanza, Charles Chirwa, Eddie Katsvere, Stanley Ndunduma, Madinda Ndlovu among others, stayed together and played together in the National team for over 10 years. They won Cecafa in 1985, the first senior trophy.

2. Peter Ndlovu, Agent Sawu, Benjamin Konjera, Adam Ndlovu, Karim Abdul among others formed a strong Under 23 side captained by Ian Matondo (he fell by the wayside). When the Dream Team started, these players were part of the team.

3. All Africa games, 1995. One of our best tournaments. This was one of the best Under 23 teams, but lacked a development trajectory. Only Methembe Ndlovu, Dinha, Mwando and Alois Bunjira had a run in the senior team. But check quality. Musanhu, Murisa, Muteji twins, Butler Masango etc. I think we lacked a development strategy.

Identifying talent is easy, what is difficult is to keep the boys together, nurture them until they graduate. A lot of talented players simply get wasted. And yes let us focus on the Under 17. Bambo went to Mauritius with an Under 17 team, we lost, but we accepted that because it was a learning curve. But where is that group of players now? They seem to have been forgotten. Yes development, but we need a plan, Ben Koufie said it so many years ago although many viewed it as a curse. Lot Chitakasha. Responses “An Arab

Prince’s gift to For those who don’t understand basic facts. Zimbabwe did not choose isolationism. The West isolated it when the country took its land back. The West then imposed sanctions on it. These sanctions mean Zimbabwe can’t do business with most countries freely. But some people amazingly think sanctions on Zimbabwe are fictitious and have no bearing to anything. So sad that educated people would be so fickle to not be able to read the simple handwriting on the wall. Shanna6785.

*** Why is this paedophile being transferred to work at another police station when he has such serious allegations against him? He should just get arrested. Yowe.

*** Responses to “: South Africans must

rise above xenophobia” Remember that in 2014, a Mozambican man was brutally murdered by police officers. Fleeing to the police is like jumping from the frying pan into the hot ashes. You can be stabbed to death in front of the police station and the killers spend as little as three to four months in prison and then released. Truth.