Govt urges teachers to further their qualifications

Govt urges teachers to further their qualifications

Luwingu, 3^rd February 2014-ZANIS-  Government  has appealed to school teachers countrywide to further their education rather than hold on to their current qualifications.

Education, Science, Vocation Training and Early Education, John Phiri says it was important for teachers to upgrade their qualifications in order to improve teaching standards.

Dr. Phiri said that education system has gone down in recent years adding that the grade seven and nine examination results proved that there was something wrong with the education system.

ZANIS reports that the minister said this when he addressed a series of meetings with teachers in Chilubi and Luwingu districts yesterday.

The minister who was accompanied by his deputy professor Wilombe  further said that government through the ministry of education has plans to upgrade 220 primary schools into secondary schools in the Northern Province in order to allow many children access to secondary education.

He was happy to note that luwingu through the office of the district education board secretary had already initiated the opening of grade 10 classes at luwingu day and Nsombo.

“It is gratifying to note that the district has already taken a lead by opening up these classes because it was in line with the ministry initiative to upgrade some primary school into secondary to contain the growing population of young children,” he added.

Meanwhile Dr Phiri said the delay to complete the construction of Lupososhi and Chilubi boarding school is as a result of in adequate funding by the ministry of finance.

He however said he was optimistic that ministry will fund all the new schools so that they are completed and ready, for use.

And Luwingu District Education Board Secretary Charity Lungu said Luwingu district has only one secondary school which caters not only for pupils from Luwingu district but also from other districts namely, Mporokoso, Kasama, Mungwi and Chilubi districts.

Ms Lungu said that with the re-introduction of grade eight at luwingu secondary school, district has had a crisis in terms of grade 10 places since the number of classes has been reduced from eight to six for grade 10.

She said that following the reduction of grade 10 classes at luwingu secondary school, her office has opened three grade 10 classes at luwingu day primary school and one class for grade 10 at Nsombo (A) primary school.

Ms Lungu explained that teachers graduating from both public and private universities have been transferred from local schools to handle grade 10 classes at luwingu day secondary school while at Nsombo (A) teachers who were posted to Lupososhi secondary school will handle the class.

She also told the minister that the Roman Catholic Church has provided temporal accommodation for boys and the school has also looked for accommodation for girls.

Meanwhile, Ms Lungu says parents have welcomed the new curriculum which allows children to learn in their mother’s language from nursery to grade four adding that teachers have also been oriented.

Ms Lungu observed that on computers studies which have being as a compulsory subject at junior secondary school will be difficult to handle as most areas schools have no electricity and teaching materials.

And Luwingu district commissioner Mambwe Katontoka appealed to the ministry of Education, Science, Vocation Training and Early Education to speed up the construction works at Lupososhi secondary school in chief Chabula area.

She said the district has only one secondary school adding that parents were finding it difficult to send their children to other districts because of limited financial resources as a result some opted to marry off their children at a tender age.

Mrs. Katontoka said that she was happy that government has embarked on the construction of another secondary school in chief Katuta area in order to increase secondary school spaces in the district.