Clayton Shereni
The National
Association of Secondary Heads (Nash) has written to the Ministry of Primary
and Secondary Education, raising concern over what it calls unreasonable
policies on appointment of deputy heads and promotion.
Association of Secondary Heads (Nash) has written to the Ministry of Primary
and Secondary Education, raising concern over what it calls unreasonable
policies on appointment of deputy heads and promotion.
In a letter,
dated November 16, 2018, seen by TellZim News but addressed to Masvingo
Provincial Education Director (PED) Zedius Chitiga, the school heads strongly
criticised the 600-learner threshold required for a school to qualify to have a
deputy head.
dated November 16, 2018, seen by TellZim News but addressed to Masvingo
Provincial Education Director (PED) Zedius Chitiga, the school heads strongly
criticised the 600-learner threshold required for a school to qualify to have a
deputy head.
They complain that
the policy is affecting many senior teachers’ prospects for promotion since
many rural schools cannot meet the threshold.
the policy is affecting many senior teachers’ prospects for promotion since
many rural schools cannot meet the threshold.
The association
also says the policy is bad is it piles more pressure on school heads who have
to do all the work with no assistant.
also says the policy is bad is it piles more pressure on school heads who have
to do all the work with no assistant.
“The current
policy position is that a primary school needs a minimum of 281 to qualify to
have a Deputy Head and a secondary school needs a minimum of 600 learners to
qualify to have a Deputy Head.
policy position is that a primary school needs a minimum of 281 to qualify to
have a Deputy Head and a secondary school needs a minimum of 600 learners to
qualify to have a Deputy Head.
“This policy
position has far reaching implications in relation to promotion prospects in
the sector. In some rural districts like Mwenezi, only three (3) out of 23
registered secondary school qualify to have Deputy Heads and in the primary
sector, 46 out of 46 registered primary schools qualify to have Deputy Heads.
In the same district, at the start of September 2018 there were 21 substantive
Deputy Heads at primary level and non at secondary level. This creates a major
succession challenge in the secondary sector.
position has far reaching implications in relation to promotion prospects in
the sector. In some rural districts like Mwenezi, only three (3) out of 23
registered secondary school qualify to have Deputy Heads and in the primary
sector, 46 out of 46 registered primary schools qualify to have Deputy Heads.
In the same district, at the start of September 2018 there were 21 substantive
Deputy Heads at primary level and non at secondary level. This creates a major
succession challenge in the secondary sector.
“The high
enrolment benchmark at secondary level for a school to qualify for a Deputy
Head against a lower benchmark at primary level is difficult to understand
given that the learner transition rate from primary to secondary is not 100
percent,” reads part of the letter.
enrolment benchmark at secondary level for a school to qualify for a Deputy
Head against a lower benchmark at primary level is difficult to understand
given that the learner transition rate from primary to secondary is not 100
percent,” reads part of the letter.
“The new
curriculum in the secondary sector has many learning areas and major
departments, besides complex time tabling which creates the need for a Deputy Head
to assist the Head with supervision and management. Secondary schools which at
this level operate without Deputy Heads definitely suffer a lot. This
compromises the quality of education for the secondary schools,” further
reads the letter.
curriculum in the secondary sector has many learning areas and major
departments, besides complex time tabling which creates the need for a Deputy Head
to assist the Head with supervision and management. Secondary schools which at
this level operate without Deputy Heads definitely suffer a lot. This
compromises the quality of education for the secondary schools,” further
reads the letter.
Nash goes on to
call for the abolishment of the policy which they say is nothing but a barrier
set to distort the promotion criteria in the ministry.
call for the abolishment of the policy which they say is nothing but a barrier
set to distort the promotion criteria in the ministry.
“Some
teachers at secondary level who aspire for promotion are faced with a
bottleneck in terms of opportunities for promotion to posts of Deputy Heads yet
their primary counterparts have vast opportunities.
teachers at secondary level who aspire for promotion are faced with a
bottleneck in terms of opportunities for promotion to posts of Deputy Heads yet
their primary counterparts have vast opportunities.
“This scenario
demotivates and demoralises senior teachers at secondary level. The policy
simply distorts the promotion system in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary
Education,” reads the letter.
demotivates and demoralises senior teachers at secondary level. The policy
simply distorts the promotion system in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary
Education,” reads the letter.
When contacted for
comment, Chitiga said the issue was private and declined to disclose how the
ministry was dealing with it.
comment, Chitiga said the issue was private and declined to disclose how the
ministry was dealing with it.
“This is an
internal issue, we are still at the consultation stage so I can’t disclose it
to the press because I will be breaching the Secrecy Act and I don’t want to
see it in the press,” said Chitiga.
internal issue, we are still at the consultation stage so I can’t disclose it
to the press because I will be breaching the Secrecy Act and I don’t want to
see it in the press,” said Chitiga.
