TEN schools from the Matabeleland region made it into the
country’s top 100 schools, in this year’s Grade Seven results, while 32 others
from the region got a zero percent pass rate with the ministry saying it is
seized with the dismal performance of the schools.
Matabeleland North has 15 schools with zero percent pass
rate while in Matabeleland South 10 recorded zero percent pass rate, seven
schools with zero pass rate came from Bulawayo. This year’s national pass rate
decreased by 5.18 percent from 52 percent last year to 46.9 percent.
In Matabeleland region, Coalfields Primary School, Oakleigh
House, Portland Primary School, Wellton Primary School, Amazon Primary School,
Fairview Adventist Primary School and Maranatha Adventist Primary School
recorded a 100 percent pass rate, while ZRP Ross Camp recorded 98,90 percent,
Fusi Primary School in Gwabalanda, Bulawayo recorded 98,69 percent and
Dominican Convent 96,36 percent.
The Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Cde Cain
Mathema, confirmed that this year’s Grade Seven results in Matabeleland dropped
significantly compared to other years.
“Yes, some schools have performed dismally not only in
Matabeleland but all over Zimbabwe. A number of schools recorded zero percent
pass rate. As a ministry we will be working on finding out the reasons behind
such performances. Of course, there may be issues to do with resource
constraints. The fact that there are no proper classrooms, teachers have no
houses because I know of one school in Matabeleland North where 10 teachers
share one house and in some schools there is no water. Those are some of the
things that bring about low pass rates,” he said.
Cde Mathema said as a ministry they had to assist teachers
to make the learning environment conducive for both the learner and the
teacher.
“Teachers need to be helped to have proper classrooms,
textbooks, proper cottages and piped water. Also, one of the important issues
is we have to encourage close relationship between the parents and the school
and their children that are at school. Parents have to know why they send
children to school thus they should be equally involved in the learning
process.
“As a ministry we are trying to train and educate our
children from an early age so that they are able to manipulate the economic and
social environment. We have to link the education system to the economy, as
learners need to be prepared for the world,” said Cde Mathema.
Midlands Province’s top school Cecil John Rhodes Primary
School recorded 98,77 percent, Takawira Primary School 98,72, Senga Primary
school 98,53, Stanley Primary 98,16, Matongo Primary 97,60, St Paul’s Mkoba
Primary 96,99 and Budiriro Primary 96,91.
Nationally, schools that made it to top 10 are, Aspindale
Park Primary, Divaris Makaharis Junior Primary, Dominican Convent Primary,
Happy Primary, Lusitania Primary, Maranatha Primary (Harare), Pathway Private
Primary, St Martins Convent and The Grange Christian School with 100 percent
pass rate.
However, Minister Mathema said parents are flooding the
e-map online application with boarding and private schools having the most
preferences despite the anticipated fees increases. He said the sole purpose of
the e-map online application platform was to cut transport costs for parents
and avoid a situation where parents apply in more than three places and end up
not knowing where the child was going to be accepted. Sunday News
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