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By Stephen Tsamba
THE Education Ministry has attributed the 6.8% pass rate decline in Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (ZIMSEC) Ordinary Level results to the devastating effects of the global Covid-19 pandemic.
Spokesperson in the ministry, Taungana Ndoro told NewZimbabwe.com Wednesday the pandemic induced lockdown had seen a significant decline in the Ordinary Level pass rate due to reduced face-to-face teaching.
Schools were forced to introduce on-line teaching, but this was not practical in some schools especially government learning centres due to the unavailability of ICT gadgets, learning material, and high data costs.
“It is the Covid-19 pandemic which has caused the gap because it forced a lockdown which forced schools to close and, therefore, there was limited face-to-face teaching,” he said.
Govt caves in on salaries
BY MIRIAM MANGWAYA
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government has bowed to pressure and agreed to consider another adjustment on civil servants’ salaries after teachers threatened a full-blown strike last week as their employer moved to effect a no-work-no-salary policy.
Last Thursday, Public Service minister Paul Mavima confirmed the development in Senate, saying government was considering another “slight adjustment” to the “staggered 70%” wage offer tabled last month, which civil servants have rejected.
He, however, insisted that the salaries would be in local currency as government had no capacity to pay United States dollar-indexed salaries.
“With regard to salaries, government is working out to ensure that workers are motivated properly, but the workers should also appreciate efforts that are being made by government. According to our revenue at the moment, it is not possible for us to go beyond what we have already offered,” Mavima
By Staff Reporter
TEACHERS have met with condemnation, a recent government decision to reintroduce the controversial National Youth Service training programme often dismissed by opponents as a Zanu PF indoctrination exercise.
Speaking in separate interviews Wednesday, the educators slammed government for alleged lack of priority in terms of scarce national resource deployment.
The teachers feel the looming reintroduction of the training programme best suited Zanu PF’s power retentions ambitions.
Government insists the programme was necessary in instilling discipline and patriotism among Zimbabwean youths.
Teachers accused government of insincerity.
“This is a clear sign that we have enough fiscal space to fund our social services. Unfortunately, the incumbent government is preoccupied with power retention and doesn’t care much for the other pressing needs.
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