Government audit targets schools withholding learners’ results

Source: Government audit targets schools withholding learners’ results | The Sunday News

Mr Taungana Ndoro

Nokuthula Dube

Government has launched a comprehensive nationwide audit of public schools to assess their compliance with Government regulations, including the acceptance of Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) payments, as well as account for institutions that refuse to release learners’ examination results due to unpaid fees and levies.

The exercise is also geared towards achieving the Government’s drive to reduce class sizes in public schools to between 20 and 30 learners, while also assessing individual teachers’ qualifications.
Additionally, the audit will evaluate the distances learners walk to school, with regulations stipulating that younger learners should not walk long distances.

Overall, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education’s reviews are meant to ensure schools adhere to set policies, including proper financial conduct and maintenance of acceptable infrastructure standards and learning conditions.

The exercise will also examine how often schools are inspected, amid indications that some have gone unchecked for over a decade.

In an interview with our sister paper The Sunday Mail, the ministry’s communications and advocacy director, Mr Taungana Ndoro, said the exercise will also review school governance, learner welfare and implementation of the new heritage-based curriculum.

“We will be carrying out a joint monitoring exercise of schools across the country, with teams from the head office led by various department heads,” he said.
“Other teams will include our principals — the Minister, Deputy Minister and Permanent Secretary.

“We will conduct the visits alongside members of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Primary and Secondary Education and various development partners, who will assist us in monitoring governance procedures in schools.”

The audit will, among other things, evaluate the overall quality of education, pass rates and learning environments, he said.
“We will look at how frequently schools have been monitored, as some have not been assessed in over a decade, leading to unchecked practices,” added Mr Ndoro.

“During the visits, we will review whether the schools are abiding by the approved tuition fees, as we have learnt some schools are pegging their fees above those approved by the authorities.

“Some refuse to take ZiG and withhold students’ results due to unpaid fees.
“We will also be looking into issues such as the learning environments, sexual harassment, bullying, disaster management and the preparation for Zimsec (Zimbabwe School Examinations Council) exams, along with the implementation of the heritage-based curriculum.”

The authorities will also assess the availability of textbooks, learning materials and the establishment of computer and science labs, as well as e-libraries, particularly in rural schools.
“During our monitoring, school infrastructure will be assessed, including accessibility for disabled students, such as ramps and Braille signage,” he added.

“We will also check whether headmaster offices and administrative areas meet required standards and contain relevant information for parents.

“There will be evaluation of the overall quality of education, student pass rates and learning environments, addressing issues like bullying, disability access, water supply and other governance matters.”
Further, the audit will focus on class sizes, teacher qualifications and the distances students walk to school.

“There will be monitoring of the readmission of students who would have dropped out and the reintegration of students who returned after leaving the country,” he continued.

“An essential part of this process will be evaluating how many qualified teachers each school has and ensuring that each class maintains a manageable size of 20 to 30 learners.
“There will also be an examination of the distances students walk to school, as the Government prohibits long walks for younger students — less than two kilometres for ECD (early childhood development) students, less than five kilometres for primary students and less than 10km for secondary school students.

“If the distance exceeds these limits, there should be schools along the way.”
This, Mr Ndoro said, will help the Government identify where new schools are needed. “Textbooks, learning materials will be reviewed.

“We will also look at non-formal education provisions and assess how schools are being monitored at the district and provincial levels.”

He stressed the need to monitor satellite schools, review their registration status and ensure they meet the required standards.
Deregistered schools will be given time to regularise their registration statuses.
“We will keep track of feeding schemes, especially for students walking long distances, to ensure they have food and can focus during lessons.

“Registering satellite schools will help reduce the distance for students, ensuring they can attend schools closer to home,” he added.

“With increasing floods, we will assess whether schools are prepared for natural disasters like fires, storms or diseases, as well as gender-sensitive issues like the availability of sanitary wear, sanitary bins and shower facilities.”