MASVINGO North legislator, Brian Mudumi, has urged rural teachers to be mindful of the challenges faced by their learners following a decline in Grade Seven pass rates at several primary schools in his constituency. Mudumi made the remarks after donating Starlink internet kits, computers, books, uniforms, and school shoes to Matova, Mutatiri, Maraire and Sikato primary schools under Chief Zimuto. Three of the schools recorded a sharp decline in Grade Seven pass rates.
Sikato Primary School dropped from 54 percent in 2024 to 22 percent last year while Maraire Primary School fell from 85 percent to 38 percent. Mutatiri Primary School was the only institution to record a strong performance, achieving a 90 percent pass rate in Zimuto. He said the declining pass rates were a cause for concern and reflect broader challenges affecting the quality of education in rural areas.
The Member of Parliament expressed optimism after engaging with school heads and teaching staff, noting that open dialogue was critical in addressing the challenges faced by educators. “Our main focus is to engage with school staff to understand the challenges they face in the execution of their duties,” said Mudumi. “We have agreed on some of the pressing issues and will work towards improving their welfare through the implementation of empowerment projects.” “We identified areas where partnerships can ease teachers’ workload and improve pupils’ learning outcomes.
[paywall]
“We are also going to engage the Ministry of Education on behalf of parents and teachers to address the current teacher-to-pupil ratio in some of the schools,” he said. Mudumi said he was mobilising additional Starlink kits as part of Government efforts to ensure nationwide digital connectivity. “Our goal is to connect every learner in Masvingo North to the internet and ensure the full implementation of Education 5.0,” he said.
[/paywall]
