Many parents, who are able to do so, have opted to sending their children to the more expensive private schools that are rarely affected by industrial actions.
The Minister of Education Sports and Culture, David Coltart, said that there was urgent need to monitor the private colleges so as to ensure that they met with the highest possible education standards.
However, such efforts have been scuttled by the lack funding – especially vehicles
– for District Education Offices responsible for monitoring.
“In the past we had 73 district officers who monitored schools. But we need vehicles and at present we only have two vehicles per province, said Coltart.
While the education sector is certainly on the mend after decades of neglect characterised by strikes as teachers demanded more money, many parents have lost faith in the system, opting for private colleges that are not properly registered and therefore illegal.
“The situation has been compounded by the issue of strikes and incentives that the teachers are demanding at government and council schools. Many children are turned away and out of desperation many parents have turned to private colleges. Many are staffed by moonlighting teachers who spend the bulk of their time at private schools rather than at their schools,” said Coltart.
The ministry does not even have mechanisms to ensure that colleges have basic requirements such as ablution blocks. –
Post published in: News