Government says the reading culture in most government schools is generally low.
Education minister John Phiri it was for this reason that government through his ministry decided to introduce a two-tire school curriculum to improve reading skills in the country.
Dr Phiri said it has been established that it is easy to teach children in local language to read then letter progress to English.
ZANIS reports that the education minister said this at Niko Girls Technical School in Namwala District, yesterday.
The minister is on the provincial tour of selected government learning institutions in Southern province.
He said his ministry expects its teachers to be role models so that they motivate pupils adding that it was for this reason that government improved their conditions of service recently.
The minister revealed that government has advanced plans to introduce a teaching council were all teachers in the country will be required to register.
He said this council will also evaluate teaching standards provided by different teachers training institutions and learning institutions.
And Namwala District Commissioner Gevar Nsanzya says that the introduction has cheered many parents in his district.
Mr. Nsanzya says parents in the area were happy that the new two curriculum has greatly contributed to establishing a good foundation for their children.
The new school curricular has academic and vocational components that empower pupils with skills when out of school.
dont even progress to english. Investors who will want to come for our resources will then be forced to learn atleast one or two of our languages. that is how you propagate dominance and preserve your culture. And nobody here can tell me nobody needs copper, sooner or later they will still come. Its enough of these western languages. Twachula pafula!!!
Yes, Minister, it is easy to teach children in local language to read then later progress to English. But how come schools in Kitwe were this week receiving materials (based on the old curricula) they ordered a long ago ? Strange that you have introduced new methods but continue to supply materials for old approaches to education!
I don’t think so. The government has failed government schools. No textbooks, no reading and story books, then you condemn kids for not reading? One much be thinking upside down! My foot!
These are questions to which PF has no answers. The people of Zambia must serve the PF government an eviction notice, pending 2016 presidential elections.
what did you expect mr.minister, when most the literature is about western civlizations and way of life. people will become interested when they can see themselves in what they read, when they can easily relate the stories to what surrounds them. What nonsense is this that till now, Physics problems are structured as follows. “A train is moving from glasgow to london and the other from london to glasgow at the speeds of 33m/s and 40m/s respectively….”. The student first struggles to understand what this animal called glasgow is and if it has relevance to the question etc. And then you wonder why the IQ scores vary when the questions dont relate to the people culturally. White supremacy is everywhere, we must stamp it out. wake up everyone, this evil is real!!!!!
I agree with LOL, there are no reading materials to speak off in all these govt schools so you cannot bring up issue of poor reading. Its like saying we have poor astronauts in zambia when you dont have a space programme or spaceship. Retarded.
Silent Reading on the school Timetable if well organized can send the right signal. Dring the Silent reading class, the kids chose a book, magazine or video, according to their interests with the help of the teacher.