Education Minister Dr. John Phiri (r) the books as Western Province Ps
Amos Malupenga looks on during the Launch of the National Libraries
Week at Mongu Librabry in Mongu Western Province
MINISTER of general education Dr John Phiri has called on the provincial education officers to provide leadership that would lift the academic performance of primary school learners.
Dr Phiri said it was unfortunate that only four provinces performed above the national mean score of 611.26 in the recently announced grade 7 composite examination results.
The minister said this when he met all 10 provincial education officers of Zambia in Kabwe.
He said most district and secondary school education boards were either not in place or were dysfunctional.
Dr Phiri directed provincial educational officers to regularize these and also said head teachers without boards would not operate.
He also bemoaned the high school fees charged in GRZ and day schools which he tamed as unaffordable by poor rural-based learners.
Dr Phiri directed Provincial Educational Officers to work out acceptable fees and report to the permanent secretary before the 2016 school calendar started.
“Provincial Education Officers should work out acceptable fees and report to the permanent secretary before the 2016 school year starts,” he said.
He also urged teachers not to engage themselves in partisan politics but instead concentrate on building their professional status.
Dr Phiri advised teachers not to risk their professional standing by engaging in political agendas because their role was to support the party in power regardless.
“After all the learners they teach come from homes/parents of different political persuasions,” he said.
So many changes have been made since PF took over, what do you expect? The country has no longer 9 provinces, pupils have to speak & write vernacular from pre-grade to primary etc. rivet those changes or update their books.
All prosperous countries in the world invest heavily in the EDUCATION and HEALTH of their people. and by this, I mean;
1. EDUCATION – Achievement, maintenance and continuous improvement in:
a. Quality facilities and competent subject trainers at Teacher Training colleges( No compromise here & get expatriates if necessary) – This is the engine room of the education system!
b. Develop internationally competitive & acceptable school curricula while addressing the demands of their local job market
c. Develop effective criteria for No-Fee learner categories for the deserving learners
d. Modernise the preparation and handling of examinations and the marking processes
e. Grading of teachers & Benchmarking teacher remuneration trends with countries with similar economies and dynamics in…
The Minister of Education must take the responsibility for these falling educational standards!
So, which are the four provinces?????