Government has abolished Academic Production Unit (APU) classes.
This means all pupils that were under the programme will be incorporated in the main education system.
Education Minister Dora Siliya said that the APU classes have been abolished because Government has built more schools to accommodate the pupils.
Ms. Siliya said that government has put up massive school infrastructure to increase access to schools by pupils.
And Ms Siliya has warned Head teachers against forcing pupils to pay tuition fees when they want to rewrite examinations.
She was speaking when she addressed teachers in Mumbwa district on Tuesday.
And Central Province Education Officer Paul Ngoma said all pupils who were under APU system will have to pay normal tuition fees.
Mr. Ngoma said all pupils will pay uniform and tuition fees.
APU classes were introduced as way of accommodating pupils who could not enter the main stream education system owing to inadequate infrastructure.
But Government has rolled out a massive infrastructure development programme which has seen new schools constructed and old ones upgraded.
[ ZNBC ]
Dora, build more schools. Whats the big gain here???
The solution is building more schools to absolve so many children. Zed Population has grown big.
I don`t think this is a wise decision.If they have built more schools to accomodate all pupils then why is there still a cut off selection point ? And hey, some schools used to gain some few coins from the programm to help fund some projects which government grants couldn`t support.
No more extra cash for the teachers that were handling APU classes
What does Dora know about Education I wonder? Urban areas do not have enough Infrastrature to cater for APU pupils.This will worsen the already low standards of education. Education management has really gone to the dogs. These are but just MMD’s desperate dirty campaigns trying to impress voters.
My concern is that while more schools may have been built, the proximity of these schools to where the pupils are may be an issue, e.g. if you are reside near D.K. School in Lusaka abd attend APU there, if government has built a new school in Kabwe, does it mean you have to find a school place in Kabwe at the new school? It is too simplistic to say the pupils will be absorbed in the main education system. Will this be a phased approach or the abolishment is with immediate effect?
more schools require more teachers. it is no use teaching a class of over 60 pupils
I support the reasoning of no2, yes if you have enough schools why are we having the so called dropouts from basic education; why do you put cutpoints for selection, Dora be sincere with your politics
Which schools? Dora is ver dull! Taking Kitwe as an example there are some many schools infact all of them with APU classes, which schools has GRZ built in Kitwe to accomodate these pupils? This will just lead to corruption and overcrowding of pupils, imaginethere are schools with over 60 students in a class already and one wonders how the situation will be.
The problem is that Dora with her simple first degree obtained from UNZA thinks she is very intelligent!
Does this lady have advisors? she needs a husband to start putting sense in her head from pillow-talk
APU haz had a lot of grey areaz from its inception. The APU stream had fewer lessonz and sometimes a teacher would miss the morning classez only to appear in the afternoon.
ba dora apa mwaitaya……..the problem is that power has gone 2 yo head,schools r still few,u mean all thoz pupils can be accomodated in the mainstream,this is day dreaming of u gal…..
APU Classes are quite many in most Schools, and the Teachers who take morning classes are the same ones also taking APU classes. A school for example has 4 grade 10 classes coming in the morning and 2 grade 10 classes coming in the afternoon. This is what is obtaining even now. More classrooms have been built?? Dora is a pathetic liar! If this APU is abolished, then teachers in some schools will have to handle about 8 grade 10, 11, 12 classes everyday, and remember these are classes of about 60 pupils. Don’t even ask about quality of teaching because some schools have 4 science teachers, 3 maths teachers, etc, 1 lab,. Politicians like Dora don’t think well, Education is not politics. Education must have a system, you don’t just wake up and change anything as if its Cabinet Reshuffle!!
Which schools have they built in urban areas? If only 47 percent made it to grade ten where are the places? They have built basic schools in rural areas and they think its enough. This is nonsense.
This is a wrong move by Dollar Sillier! APU classes cater for the excess number of pupils who can not get into the mainstream sku. Schools being built? where? How many schools have been constructed in Lusaka? and where are they located? How are the teacher numbers? The ultimate losers from this decision are the pupils! Wrong move Miss RP Capital!!
Blogs, is it true that Dora is Now on Schools trying to privatise all govt Schools,after Selling ZAMTEL?
Comments reserved.
Wrong pronouncement from our dear lady….she should have said the APU will longer be called as such but will be like other pupils who come in the morning and paying the same fees.
The impression she gave to the nation is tht all APU pupils will b incoporated in the morning session which is not possible.Yes the have built one o two schools in rural area bt those cannot accomodate APUs.If thats what Dora mearnt then i wonder how it will work here in livingstone as no school has being built.
Iwe Dora, MOMA 1988, This is effective when? And answer the concerns of the above bloggers. All schools in Kitwe have this APU is it possible to fuse all these pupils into the morning programmes?
Dollar Sillier wants to find a way to justify the privatisation of schools now. APU is vital to our education system. This would only work if the so called schools are within 5kms of the each existing schools
It’s good to note that people (Zambians) look realistically on the fake, cheap talks by scared people holding positions they don’t deserve at all. Naiwe Dora, hwhom have you consulted before making that move? eg; Provincial Education Officers, Inspectors of schools and other stake holders who have tirelessly worked to facilitate education to the so called APU’s? The establishing of APU classes has been a wiser move than it abolishment!!!!!
This is ridiculous.Like many have asked,how many schools have u built in urban areas?This the most foolish decision made sofar.Amahule at their best!