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Scrutinise education task force report
The release of the Report of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform marks a crucial phase in the education sector. While it has noble recommendations, some sections need interrogation before adoption.
Commendably, it proposes the abolition of school ranking. That will eliminate the cut-throat competition often blamed for dubious conduct as schools fight to outshine one another. Counter-productively, learners strive to excel in exams rather than acquire knowledge and develop skills, making exam management a herculean task. Exam printing is done overseas because local printers cannot be trusted. A slight loop leads to a humongous haemorrhage.
However, the 353-page-document hasn’t mentioned disciplinary mechanisms for learners. Discipline levels have deteriorated; learners threaten and even physically assault their teachers.
Suspension, expulsion and some other forms of punishment will render a teacher criminally culpable. Generation Z often don’t heed their own parent’s advice.
The document decries stagnation in Job Group N (TSC Scale C5)—notably, an administrative position that many teachers don’t get an opportunity to reach. Actually, many are stuck in C1 and C3 for primary and secondary school teachers, respectively.
It proposes legislative amendments in the Basic Education Act so that the school head is the only teacher in the BoMs. At the moment, an additional teacher represents the interests of the teaching staff. Heads may be too busy administratively to be aware of the concerns and wishes of the other teachers.
Instructively, only the school heads had a chance of public participation in the report; thus, the proposals herein are mostly in their favour. Parliament must undertake due diligence before adopting it.
Mr Gisemba is a teacher, author and editor. [email protected].