THE Secondary School Teacher’s Union of Zambia (SESTUZ) says the country risks recording poor grade twelve results if factors contributing to the current education situation are not urgently addressed. THE Secondary School Teacher’s Union of Zambia (SESTUZ) says the country risks recording poor grade twelve results if factors contributing to the current education situation are not urgently addressed.
Speaking in an interview with Lusaka star, SESTUZ general secretary Sitibekiso Wamuyuwa said there were several factors which affect performance such as inadequate learning and teaching materials, lack of enough teachers and too much congestion in class room.
Wamuyuwa also pointed out that there was need to decongest class rooms as some were hosting 50 to 70 pupils.
“Some schools do not even have equipment for subjects like sciences and mathematics and those that have laboratories are poorly equipped,” he said.
Wamuyuwa further added, “Some do not even have laboratories but they offer pure sciences. There is need to expand the infrastructure so that class rooms can be decongested.”
He said the continued poor performance can also be attributed to the change in the education system which took place in the early 80’s from primary to basic and then high school.
“When we changed from primary and secondary schools to basic and high schools., the idea was to increase access to education to pupils from grades 1 to 9. Access and the quantity was increased but the quality was not probably taken care of.” Wamuyuwa said.
And the Secondary School Teacher’s Union Secretary General said there was need to strike a balance on teacher pupil ratio as the move would increase the contact between the learner and teacher.
“There is need to increase the number of teachers so that the teacher pupil ratio can be reduced and this will increase the contact between the learner and the teacher. If there is little contact between the learner and the teacher then it is very difficult for the teacher to know the learner’s inadequacies and weakness.” he said.
Meanwhile Wamuyuwa welcomed government’s decision to introduce the use of local languages to from grade 1 to 4 as a mode of instruction.
The comments by the SESTUZ secretary general follows the announcement of grade twelve results by Education Minister Dr. John Phiri were he announced that there was an increase by 2% from the previous results but overall the results were poor especially in government schools.