Maravi

Western, North Western provinces' poor grade 12 results raise concern

Western, North Western provinces' poor grade 12 results raise concern
By Nyambe Muyumbana in Mongu
Wednesday April 02, 2008 [04:00]

MONGU District education standards officer Rene Litebele has attributed the continued poor grade 12 results in the area to insufficient teachers and lack of motivation. In an interview, Litebele said Western Province had continued to record a low pass rate at grade 12 level.

Litebele said the education authorities were not happy and that measures were being put in place to reverse the situation.

Last week, education minister Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa announced that 30,610 candidates that sat for grade 12 examinations obtained full school certificates while 18,717 obtained general certificates of education.

Prof Lungwangwa said Southern Province had the best results at 73.3 per cent while Western and North Western provinces had the lowest pass rate at 42.9 per cent and 33.5 per cent respectively.

Litebele said lack of recruitment of teachers in the past had greatly affected the standards of education in the province as most classrooms were left without teachers.
However, he said the situation could change especially that the government had started employing teachers.

Litebele also said efforts were being made to try and motivate teachers.
Earlier, Litebele, who officiated at the 'Western Province High School Science, Mathematics and Technology quiz' at Country Lodge in Mongu, said the government would support every initiative aimed at improving the standards of education in the country.

Litebele also said the importance of science and technology could not be overemphasised.

He commended the business community in Mongu for supporting the education sector by sponsoring the quiz.

Country Lodge director, Namalambo Mukumbuta, said the idea of the quiz sponsored by the business community in Mongu followed the poor pass rate at grade 12 level in the Western Province.

Mukumbuta hoped the quiz would encourage pupils to work hard at school.
Sefula High School scooped the first prize while Kambule High School took second place.

Labels: EDUCATION, NORTHWESTERN PROVINCE, WESTERN PROVINCE

posted by MrK @ 8:34 AM