09 Mar 2016

The minister of Education and Skills Development Dr Unity Dow has assured Parliament that her ministry was working hard to rectify the declining performance of students in secondary school examinations as it is a concern to government.

“We acknowledge that the low level of learner performance is an issue of national concern; as such I would like to assure this honourable House that it is in our interest to ensure that this state of affairs is not allowed to continue,” said minister Dow on Monday when presenting her ministry’s P11.7 billion budget estimates for the 2016/17 financial year.

She added that her ministry continued to explore strategies and initiatives geared towards improving student performance, as such all stakeholders should collectively intensify efforts to address the challenge.

She said while the learner performance in primary school leaving examinations had continued to show a steady increase, results at junior certificate level were declining with the number of students obtaining grade C or better decreasing to 33.4 per cent in last year.

The minister however pointed out that the Form Five results had shown a slight improvement of 1.3 per cent last year, and, as a result, her ministry had identified interventions which are being implemented to turn the situation around.

The interventions include ensuring that all schools operated with a substantive school head and the introduction of assessment review tool for all teachers including school heads. 

“This is designed to strengthen accountability and professionalism to the teaching fraternity. I believe that this tool will ensure that the focus of assessment of the teachers is in the classroom and on learning outcomes,” Dr Dow said.

Further, she said her ministry would provide in-service training for school heads and senior school management, and reward and encourage good performance while sanctioning under performance.

Also she stated that the ministry would ensure that primary school learners were allowed to repeat classes as per the education policy, as well as encourage greater stakeholder participation and expedite resolution of staff welfare issues.

Debating the budget which was approved by Parliament on Monday, the MP of South East South Ms Same Bathobakae urged the minister to reduce the student-teacher ratio at government schools, saying currently on average a classroom in government schools consisted of 45 students which was too big a number for single class.

“If the number could be reduced to at least 35 students teachers would be able to give better attention to students and results will improve,” Ms Bathobakae said, before agreeing with the minister that struggling students should be allowed to repeat classes and appealing for a senior secondary school in Tlokweng.

The MP of Shoshong Mr Dikgang Makgalemele called for the education ministry to avail pre-primary school education in all areas across the country, pointing out that it was important for preparing learners to embark on education.

Mr Makgalemele asked the ministry to build staff houses at Kalamare Junior School in his constituency and make available boarding facilities at Mahutagane JSS; he also complained about poor infrastructure at schools such as Mosolotshane, Shoshong, and Kgamane primary schools.

Kgatleng East MP Mr Isaac Davids said education was ‘in a crisis’ pointing out that things would not improve unless government addressed the working conditions of teachers.

“Teachers must be paid well and be provided with adequate accommodation,” he said, adding that the future of the country would depend on how the ministry of education handled the current education problems. 

He called for reforms to fix the problem o learners’ poor performance, saying: “The amount of money spent on education has increased from P7 billion in 2007 to P11 billion today, but results have not improved. If things are not turned around we are heading for a disaster situation,” he said.

He called on all stakeholders to be part of the solution and asked the ministry of education to provide enough accommodation for Kgari Sechele Senior Secondary School teachers.

Serowe South MP Dr Pelonomi Venson- Moitoi said performance of learners was poor because parents were not playing an active role in the education of their children. Ends