Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education Minister, John Phiri has attributed the recent wave of riots in schools across the country to poor administrative skills and lack of pupil governance in the affected schools.
Dr Phiri observed that the unprecedented wave of riots that have rocked the education sector is a clear indictment of failed leadership skills in school administrators that have been entrusted to manage the schools.
Dr Phiri implored school management, Parents Teachers Associations (PTAs) and other stakeholders to explore possibilities of introducing school councils which will give pupils a chance to democratically elect their own prefects as opposed to the current situation where prefects are chosen by school management.
Dr Phiri was speaking at the on-going first ever Eastern Province Education Indaba in Chipata aimed at reorienting education stakeholders on the PF’s manifesto on the education sector.
He, however, warned erring pupils and other students in the habit of rioting as a way of expressing their grievances whenever there were misunderstandings by destroying both private and public property of stern action.
And speaking at the same indaba, Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education Permanent Secretary, Miriam Chinyama, called for prudent utilization of government funds if the sector is to make a meaningful contribution to the socio-economic development of the country.
Mrs Chinyama said the Auditor General’s reports for the ministry have revealed widespread financial mismanagement that has impacted negatively on the provision of quality education to Zambians.
She urged Provincial Education Officers (PEOs) to be proactive and ensure that funds that government allocates goe to the intended programmes.
Earlier, outgoing Eastern Province Education Officer, Philila Jere, said her office had formulated a provincial strategic plan for schools in the region aimed at improving academic performance.
Ms Jere said the 2011-2013 strategic plan seeks to address some of the inadequacies that impacted negatively in bettering academic performances in the province.
ZANIS
Ridiculous! How can administrators run schools without resources?
1. The title of the ministry is a mouthful.
2. What is pupil governance Mr. minister?
3. Am not sure the minister fully understands the current education policies in Zambian schools. The policies have taken away certain responsibilities from administrators and placed them on pupils themselves, in the name of pupils’ rights. For instance, teachers & administrators are now not allowed to met out corporal punishment or suspensions to erring pupils. Also, aggrieved pupils are now allowed to hold demonstrations (apparently peacefully), in the name of freedom of expression. So the minister must stop blaming only administrators & understand that pupils now have greater personal responsibility than under
previous education policies.
Sometimes pupils are too stubborn, so corporal punishment should be brought back.
FORGIVE HIM. HE IS TOO OLD TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HAPPENING
CAN’T U SEE HE LOOKS JUST LIKE AMBUYE A MUNKOMBWE HEHE LOL
But rioting is the opposite of development.Riots are deteriorative habbits.
Can’t we find a better education minister?!
Why are students rioting? There is something wrong with the entire system. There are probably no resources for schools to run smoothly. The quality of instruction is compromised because of lack instructional materials, inadequate teachers, huge classes, etc. I know the system because I was a teacher in our country sometime back.
Find the root cause of riots, No one starts rioting without first trying to negotiate
this is also the same man that said zambian students in russia like drinking and girls thats why they get racially discriminated and some killed. what a joke.
Is this man a minister or mental minskirt. Does he understand education provision very well as well as policy that is foreign borrowed. This time bwana Minister, your pupils are more important than teachers and teachers cant do anything. Pupils tell teachers what to do boss.Familialise your self with schools and let teachers tell you what they go through than just sitting in that your office condemning had working headteachers. We need a complete education overhaul starting with you sir.
The title of the ministry is testament to Ukwa’s sophistication. Uneducated simpletons would have just called it the ministry of education. Equally the ministry of environment,lands, natural resources and environmental protection would have just been designated as the environment ministry. But not with our friends from muchinga. They want to show every that “balisambilila ukunya”!
What do you expect from this ukwanite. Instead of finding answers they blame the inocent. what rubbish is this?
yaba..with the poor conditions you expect pupils to remain calm..?
The problem is having too many lozi,Tonga and easterners as administrators.
pupils should be given the freedom to elect their prefect.and the other issue is that a lot of teachers drink and sleep with their pupils and you expect to discipline such a pupil……….lastly people/human management sure be introduced as a course to under go for would be administrators.
I cannot totally agree with you ba minister. Most of the pupils are stubborn because their background is bad. Those are the pupils who are stirring up situations in schools to riot or to damage school property. Such a comment Mr. minister is misplaced and can cause further disturbances and confusion in schools because pupils who are incorrigible is fuel to them. You will make work for head teachers difficult!