In tacking some of the challenges that have contributed to a 100% failure rate in most schools in Matabeleland, Masakhaneni Projects Trust engaged education authorities who are pivotal in changing this appalling state of results that are experienced year after the other. Present in the meeting where 7 district officials who included the Provincial Education Director (PED) & District Schools Inspectors (DSIs) from Gwanda,Matobo and Insiza, 3 Grade 7 markers, 8 school heads as well as 34 teachers from the identified eight schools. The meeting sort to right the wrong which has been normalized in these schools. Shared in the meeting was knowledge, experiences and expectations. Measures were put in place in order to help these schools that are well known for the bad performances.

Some of the challenges that were highlighted as contributing to this failure rate included but are not limited to the following:

• Composite classes with one teacher having to teach two or three classes within the same hours that a teacher with one class will have.
• Non-local language teachers taking up ECD learners
• Non commitment of the teachers because of poor remuneration
• Non commitment of the parents because of poor results and lack of commitment by the teachers
• Poor staffing in the schools (teacher to people ratio), there is obvious neglect of ECD learners as they usually lack teachers, one teacher can take up to 60 ECD learners
• Parents lack of commitment on ECD learners despite the fact that it is the critical stage of the learner that lays the foundation for the following grades
• Bad teacher attitude towards learners (sihamba labahambayo mentality)
• Absenteeism of learners
• Lack of knowledge on tackling the new curriculum especially with absence of ICT tools

 

Following highlights of the challenges contributing to the highest failure rates, teachers, headmasters and district markers were all put to task to come up with steps that could be taken to help Matabeleland children experience quality education. While the program spearheaded by Masakhaneni is aiming at improving the current grade 7 passes (2021), the strategies mapped were long term targeting the holistic needs of the child from the lowest level.

It is worth noting that each of the individuals in the meeting expressed willingness to come together to try and drive out the huge elephant in the room of Matabeleland. Creating relationships that will help the concerned stakeholders to work well together was encouraged. This meant pupils, teachers, parents and all district officials playing their part to attain better results. Teachers pledged to draft plans that they would follow. The organization committed to engagement with the parents. The District officials assured the teachers that they will adopt continuous monitoring in the schools. Among the delegation were Grade 7 exam markers who shared exam tips that would help the teachers to focus on the gaps within their pupils.

It is hoped that the teachers, parents, pupils and the district authorities will all devout themselves in improving the results in these schools.