14 Aug 2013

Primary school head teachers in remote areas have decried the declining school performance and the high number of dropouts from their schools.  

The school heads said this at the just-ended Child Friendly School Seminar held in Kanye. The event attracted 67 head teachers from schools in remote areas.  

They shared information and learnt of the best leadership practices as well as being sensitised on the roles of a manager to help them manage their schools effectively.

The schools chosen were from remote areas and had been experiencing poor Standard Seven Leaving Examinations (PSLE) results.

The aim of the workshop was to assist them in support of the affirmative action on remote area development.

Head teachers cited lack of support from parents as some of the factors affecting good performance, adding that parents withdraw children from school to engage them in farms.  They also complained of shortage of educational material.

They said text books arrive late at their schools and in small quantities.

The schools, they said, are dilapidated while classrooms and toilets are also inadequate. Some students, they said, travel long distances to schools and they arrive very tired and hungry.

Teachers said they are supplied with insufficient food and have no constant water supply. 

However, some schools like Polokwe in Southern district and Pelotelele in North East are doing well in producing good results because they have been adopted by private companies through the adopt -a -school. ENDS