Dr Takavafira M. Zhou (Ptuz President)
Zimsec has released ‘O’ level results for the 2020 academic year. A total of 184 249 candidates wrote 5 or more subjects and 45644 passed 5 or more subjects with Grade C or better giving an average pass rate of 24.8%.
This represent a decrease of 6.8% from the 31.6% pass rate for 2019. It is also noteworthy that 15813 other students wrote less than 5 subjects because they were ill-prepared to write more than 5 subjects or failed to get money to register for more than 5 aubjects. Furthermore, more than 16000 other students did not write examinations after realising that they had not prepared for examinations. The 24.8% is not, therefore, reflective of a greater disaster that would have ensued had the more than 32000 other students not accounted for in Zimsec statistics, written the examinations or more than 5 subjects.
In light of this reality, it is therefore puzzling that Zimsec perceives the 24.8% as commendable results and has the temerity to justify such poor results by pointing to previous poor results (rather than previous good reaults) and unnamed countries that allegedly went into national lockdown due to covid 19 and experienced a decrease in pass rate.
While the effects of covid 19 cannot be dismissed in toto, the major factors of demotivation and incapacitation of teachers, limited investment in quality public education, poor infrastructural development in rural schools, and useless pedagogical methods of television and radio lessons adopted by gvt in a situation where more than 75% of students in rural areas had no radio and television frequency, must also be amplified. It is baffling for gvt to allocate 12.7% of the total budget to Primary and Secondary Education, against the Dakar framework that agreed a budget above 22% of the national budget. It is also noteworthy that when teachers were earning a salary above US$500 in the 1980s and 1990s the pass rates at Grade 7, ‘O’ and ‘A’ levels, were very high.
The issues of welfare of teachers, gvt support to teachers and conducive teaching and learning environments are crucial in driving a skills education revolution that students can use in life or beyond the classroom in line with Agenda 2030. It is therefore prudent to invest in innovation, dynamism and industriousness of teachers so that they can effectively blend theory and practical experience in learning and teaching. That feat can never be achieved by incapacitated teachers. It is prudent for the gvt to make the best foot forward by addressing the welfare of teachers as a matter of urgency.
Venceremos
*Dr Takavafira M. Zhou (Ptuz President)*
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