Sunday News
6 April 2013
The Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture has said it will allow schools to continue enrolling A- Level students with less than five O-Level passes on the premise that institutions ensure the students resit for O-level examinations and pass.
It was recently reported that a number of high schools and private colleges were accepting pupils for Lower Sixth classes without the minimum five Ordinary levels, a development which was viewed as compromising the quality of education in the country.
Despite the 2012 shocking poor pass rate which sparked debate among members of the public, many pupils secured places for A- Levels at different schools and colleges.
According to the education ministry’s regulations, for one to proceed to A-level, a pass in five O-level subjects is a must.
In an interview with Sunday News, Bulawayo Provincial Education Director, Mr Dan Moyo, said five O-levels were a basic minimum requirement with English a standing pre-requisite adding that Mathematics would be included to the list very soon.
Mr Moyo confirmed the education ministry had instruments which stated these requirements but failed to mention the regulations offhand.
He said although it was unacceptable for schools to accept pupils who had failed, institutions were doing it anyway, acknowledging some are doing it for a quick buck.
“Schools take these students with the hope they will pass when they sit for the June O-level examinations. It always happens. For example, some children may have five O-levels but with no English or Mathematics yet they would have passed other subjects like History, Chemistry and Physics. These pupils may proceed to A-Level and do a combination of sciences but will write the O-levels to supplement what they failed. The logic is they supplement as they go on. But basically it’s inadmissible for schools to take children without the 5 subjects,†he said.
Mr Moyo said those children submitted in Lower Sixth classes failed to raise the required O-levels again, it was up to parents to prosecute the institutions, as they would have paid school fees to the schools.
He said schools had been enlightened on this possibility and parents could take up action against the institutions as there is no way one can write A-levels without having five O-levels.
“It means parents will continue paying money until the child passes. The ministry could always check on the schools to make sure the pupils who failed resat examinations but parents have to take the issue up. Schools know about this, I can’t continue repeating it,†he said.
Education Minister, Senator David Coltart said it was common practice for schools to register Lower Sixth pupil who failed their O-levels. He said usually private schools took in the children but the catch was they had to make sure they passed their O-levels before sitting for A- level examinations.
“This happens because institutions know the children will get a second chance during the June examinations. The ministry can’t really put a stop to it because children and parents will always look for alternative private colleges,†he said.
Senator Coltart said he was aware parents risked paying extra fees because no child could write A- levels without the stipulated five O-levels.
“A child can go up to From Six but the law is, one writes their A’s after passing their O’s. What schools and colleges are doing is illegal yes, but then schools and parents get into these arrangements and contracts,†he said.