By Wezhira Munya
….. Scrapping of examination fees and CALAS.
Yesterday, the Citizens Coalition for Change President Nelson Chamisa unveils Great Zimbabwe Blue Print in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. A well detailed blue print has many issues that President Chamisa and Citizens will employ to make Zimbabwe Great once again.
In this Citizens centred blue print, on point number 4 that deals with Social Services and Social Delivery for Everyone President Chamisa promised Zimbabwean free primary education and scraping of examination fees if elected to be President on the 23rd August 2023.
Free primary education is enshrined in the Zimbabwe Constitution.
However, Zanu PF president Emmerson Mnangangwa has lied in 2018, that he will implement the Constitutional provision of free primary education in Zimbabwe.
Senior lecturer Dr Kudzayi Tarisai said, “l am very happy that President Chamisa’s Government will give Citizens free primary education. This will help thousands of disadvantaged children to access primary education.”
In Zimbabwe, thousands of children from disadvantaged backgrounds have dropped out of school and some have failed to enrol, said research fellow Dr. Chidhakwa.
President Chamisa’s promise to provide free primary education during his first days in office, have brought hope to many Citizens.
Zimbabwe education has been commodified and is also expensive.
Parents are failing to pay for exorbitant primary education fees due to poor salaries and high unemployment, said Mr Sam Shumba of Masvingo urban ward 3.
In addition, President Chamisa promised to pay teachers a minimum salary of $540us and remove useless ZimRTGS Dollars.
Paying of adequate salaries to educators will motivate them to work hard. Currently Zimbabwe teachers are incapacitated and demotivated by low and poor salaries they are getting said, renowned educationist Dr. Takavafira Zhou.
Furthermore, President Chamisa promised to give rural allowance to rural teachers as a way to inspire them and also to make rural learners get skills and knowledge from high qualified teachers.
In one of his research studies, senior lecturer Dr. Munyaradzi Chidarikire found out that, majority of rural schools are getting zero pass rate at primary and secondary school levels because learners are being taught by under qualified teachers and qualified teachers who are highly demotivated.
Furthermore, President Chamisa’s Government will provide educational materials such textbooks in rural and urban school.
Education materials are currently in short supply in many rural and urban institutions.
Also, President Chamisa will make sure his Government will build many school buildings. In some rural areas, children are learning under tress and rooms where farms keep their tobacco. These learning environments are not conducive for learners, said educationist and development practitioner Mr Struggle Desire Nyahunda.
Zanu PF Government has failed to provide decent educational facilities to rural and urban set ups. Some learners in urban schools are doing hot sitting because there are no enough learning spaces for them. Many research studies proved that , hot sitting is negatively affecting many learners in their quest to attain quality education, said development practitioner Mr Jonah Wakurakurehwa.
Also, President Chamisa promised Citizens that primary learners will not pay examination fees. Currently, Zimbabwe primary school learners are paying examination fees.
In the past, primary school learners were not paying examination fees. Currently, primary school learners are paying $65us examinations fees for all the subjects. The 2023 primary examinations fees structure is as follows: Government will contribute US$36 towards the fees for candidates in public schools. Parents and guardians of these candidates will be responsible for paying the remaining US$29.
For candidates in private schools and colleges, they will have to pay the full cost of US$65 as the examination fees for the year.
Majority of rural and urban learners are failing to write their examinations because of exorbitant examination fees.
Under the leadership of President Chamisa, CALAs will be removed. Zimbabwe education system has introduced a burdensome educational assessment system called Continous Assessment Learning Activity [CALA].
This continous massessment method was introduced in 2021 is highly expensive and burdensome to learners and parents.
Many parents in Zimbabwe have demanded that CALAs be removed urgently.
