Chona observes major crisis in education system

Chona observes major crisis in education system
By George Zulu in Monze
Mon 28 June 2010, 04:30 CAT

MATANTALA Rural Integrated Development Enterprise (M-RIDE) board chairman Mark Chona has observed that there is a crisis of major proportions in the education system in the country especially in rural areas, which needs critical attention.

In an interview in Monze after touring three chiefdoms namely Hanjalika, Mwaanza and Chona in Mazabuka and Monze districts to check on the infrastructure built by Matantala with the support of the Norwegian government, Chona said the progression of education in rural areas was not encouraging.

He said the progression of pupils from grade one to grade nine was very disappointing and certainly showed the collapse of the system.

“The reality on the ground is that there is need for quality education at every single level. We should not merely look at quantity but quality from what is happening in classrooms. Look at the number of children who pass from grade seven to eight and nine to 10. It is very discouraging and disappointing. It only confirms that there is a crisis in the system,” Chona said. “Just look at those who are squeezed out of school at grade seven; there are so many.

We need to work together even with those who think they can go to Parliament, we need to work with them. There is nobody who is useless in addressing this problem, and a girl child is a critical issue especially when you look at the figures, which we have seen in each of the schools we had visited. It shows how critical the issue of education is in rural areas. These figures speak volumes, too many girls are squeezed out of school at a very tender age and exposed to early pregnancies ending their careers.”

However, Chona expressed gratitude over the realisation by some parents, teachers and pupils of the need for education.

“With improved infrastructure development, many people would like to get back to school. At Nkonkola High a 52-year-old grandmother has gone back to school and she is doing grade nine. Hamudonga Community School 29-year-old mother has gone back to school and she is in grade six, a 33-year-old man at Moomba is in grade nine,” said Chona. “This is due to improved infrastructure. People can no longer feel ashamed to enter classes because they have desks and better classes.”

During its three years of existence in three chiefdoms in Choma and Monze, Matantala has constructed 86 classrooms, 20 teachers’ houses, six clinics and rehabilitated existing houses, schools and dip tanks.