BRING BACK GRADE 7 CUT OFF POINTS
NATIONAL Action for Quality Education in Zambia (NAQEZ) has demanded that the Ministry of General Education reintroduces a system of cut off points at grade Seven (7) level.
NAQEZ Executive Director Chansa Aaron said he was opposed to the current examination system which allows all candidates to pass.
He said out of the 900 total marks at grade Seven (7), NAQEZ proposes that the cut- off point for grade Seven (7) candidates in Zambia must be 600 for both genders.
“To improve the quality of grade Ten (10) pupils, we are proposing an upward adjustment of the subject passing Mark from 40 percent to 50 percent.
“It is our considered view that the current grading system is below average and not favourable to academic competition among candidates,” he said.
Mr Chansa said this was despite that fact that both grades Seven (7) and Nine (9) girls had been performing better than boys in recent years.
He said the Ministry of General Education should quickly make teaching a hands on and practical skills integral to school life in the country.
Mr Chansa said this would help avoid having an education system that only glorifies examinations at the expense of important life skills.
“The vocational talents of these young people are being killed by not providing them with enabling environments which could nature them into useful and productive adults.
“To make sure that our
educational foundations are strong, we strongly suggest that transitional tests be introduced from pre- school up to grade 6. Only academically suitable learners must be allowed to progress to the next grade. Using School based assessments, teachers must have the discretion to prescribe who goes forward or not,” he said
Mr Chansa explained that the current policy of allowing everyone to go to higher grades even when they cannot read and write had killed the education system in Zambia.
“It is our considered view that the current grading system is below average and not favourable to academic competition among candidates,” he said.