Dear Editor,
What steps does the Ministry of Education plan to take in order to harness the wild blooming of private schools across the country?
Shouldn’t private schools be licensed to operate with certain minimum requirements? Our education landscape seems to be in tatters especially if a survey is done to determine how many children have abandoned the state-run schools for ill-equipped private schools.
Drastic steps must be taken to ensure those who operate private schools are licensed to do so.
I know of very many private schools which are operating for quite a number of years, have applied for assessment in order to be registered and have still not been visited for such a purpose by the relevant people.
Why do we have all this foot-dragging with every succeeding minister of education?
Then again, what is it that is sending the students from the government schools, or better yet, what are the things that are attracting students/pupils to the mushrooming schools which are privately run?
The Minister should be alert to the fact that education is more than results. Let us streamline our education landscape and arrest the runaway school train from going in odd directions. Strengthen the supervisory aspect of delivery at the classroom level, and introduce incentives based upon results. Employ qualified teachers and control the classroom absences. Teachers must be accountable for the children’s performances in class in a more direct way.
Much can be improved with genuine efforts on the part of all involved.
Yours faithfully,
(Name and address provided)
