Luwingu records low grade 8 attendance

Luwingu secondary school head teacher Andrew Chipili says his school has recorded a low turnout of grade eight pupils this term.

The 2014 school calendar started on January 13.

Mr Chipili said only 40 pupils instead of the 160 selected to grade eight had reported prompting concern among the school authorities.

He said the school has only managed to create one class for grade eight because parents have refused to send their children at the secondary in preference for basic schools in the district.

Mr Chipili said this during the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) meeting held at the school recreation hall yesterday.

He said the number of grade eight pupils that have reported so far was low as the school has over 75 percent school space for grade eight.

Mr Chipili who is also PTA secretary further said that pupils at Luwingu secondary school were paying the lowest fees compared to other schools charging up to K600 and K350 for day learners.

“This report covers pupil’s enrolment, staffing, pupils discipline, academic performance, boarding payment of school fees, production unit, school infrastructure, challenges and success,” he said.

Mr Chipili said the school has 1, 475 pupils from grade eight up to grade 12 and it has a total number of 54 qualified secondary school teachers.

The school head teacher also said that beer drinking was also a source of concern among the pupils who come to school drunk.

He cited a pupil in the girl dormitory who was found with a bottle of castle in her locker saying this meant that the situation was serious.

And some parents appealed to the administrator to punish pupils engaged in bad vices that are against the school rules before the situation gets out hand .

And speaking on behalf of the District Commissioner Mambwe Katontoka, education standards officer Teddy Musonda appealed to the teachers to prepare adequately and research before going to conduct lessons to avoid embarrassment.

He also echoed remarks by the minister of education John Phiri who appealed to teachers to upgrade their qualifications in order for them to provide quality education as demanded by the Patriotic Front-PF government.