–Muchinga Province Minister Charles Banda has urged teachers in the province to upgrade their academic qualifications in order to improve the quality of education offered to pupils.
Mr. Banda observed that the quality of education has declined over the years hence can only be improved if teachers go for further studies than being satisfied with their current qualifications.
He further observed that teaching is a noble career and urged them to continue inspiring learners as they are considered role models to pupils and society at large.
“Teaching is the noblest profession and you should not be ashamed of. We are all products of teachers and we are what we are today because of a teacher,” said Mr. Banda.
The Provincial Minister who is a qualified media practitioner and teacher said this when he addressed teachers at Chinsali Girls’ Secondary School today
Mr. Banda explained that although teachers are still grappling with a lot of other issues, they should work hard towards helping government change the mindsets of both pupils and society on issues of national interests.
He stressed the need for teachers to work closely with the government in improving the quality of education standards as outlined in the PF manifesto and in line with 2016 Sixth National Development Plan (SNDP).
Mr. Banda called on teachers to lead the way towards changing the work culture by ensuring that all of them, starting from the Heads of Departments to the lowest member of staff to report early for work.
And speaking on behalf of other teachers, Anastasia Munyati bemoaned the inadequate classroom blocks at the learning institution.
Ms. Munyati explained the school has a pupil population of 1 300 with only 52 class rooms translating in 74 pupils per class a situation she described as unhealthy and critical.
She attributed the poor performance of pupils at the school to congestion adding that it has also contributed to the poor service delivery by teachers.
She called on the government to take seriously the concerns raised by the school by urgently putting in place measures that will lead to reduction on the number of pupils to at least 50 pupils per classroom if the quality of education is to be improved.
Meanwhile, Chinsali Girls’ Boading School Headmaster Kalale Katele said the school has been hit by a critical shortage of bed space adding that the school currently has 650 bed spaces against 1 300 pupils.
Earlier, Chinsali Day Secondary School Head teacher Margret Chisambwe pledged to implement government policies at the newly established learning institution which became operational as a secondary school in 2007.
Ms. Chisambwe , however, said the school is faced with numerous challenges and the major one being lack of a laboratory block which is a prerequisite for the Examination Council of Zambia (ECZ) to designate an institution as an certified examination centre.