Education Pyramid A New Outlook Needed

Correspondent | Monday October 5, 2015 10:38

We all are cognisant of the happenings at that ministry; poor school results, poor worker-relations, high corruption incidences (ghost students at DTEF), shortage of resources despite the ministry getting the lions-share of the national budget, shortage of teachers when many are roaming the streets, ‘half-baked graduates’- a total failure to meet the market demands and a total neglect of children’s rights, the latter being something I had hoped Mme Unity Dow would be passionate about, seeing her record in child advocacy, lo and behold.

That is however a topic for another day but it is an issue that cannot be divorced from our current discussion because they are all intertwined and married to the marrow.

Many resolutions have been put forward and sold over the counter to try and solve the problems at the education ministry.

I am positioning here that; OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM NEEDS A COMPLETE OVERHAUL. I mean turning around everything; from human resources to the chairs, tables, kitchens, absolutely everything from top to bottom.

Mme Dow TURN THE EDUCATION PYRAMID THE RIGHT WAY UP, ITCURRENTLY HAS ITS NOSE IN THE GROUND.

What I simply mean is, in any production activity, more resources should be channelled to the PRIMARY-SECTOR to realise higher production which translates to higher returns on investment made.

A miner will put all his resources in exploration and mining of the mineral, buying the right machines and employing experts to ensure greater productivity.

A good farmer will invest in good land, water, fertilizers, medicines, machines and implements necessary for a good yield, directing all the resources to the first-stage of production.

Mme Dow what kind of enterprise are we running at that ministry? Mme Dow take a long look at the country’s primary education and sincerely tell yourself with pride that, “I have invested in this minefield/farm like a good miner/farmer”, look the children in the eye and say with conviction, “You are on fertile ground, go on and blossom”.

If they were diamonds they would blossom to be the low quality ones, industrial class workers,that is what we are growing in our primary schools.

My position is that we should have a proper pyramid system where most of the resources go towards primary education. I am talking fully equipped classrooms; modern schools that create a conducive learning environment for the little ones.

Primary schools should be provided with all the necessary resources; books, computers, nutrition, manicured surroundings, expert facilitators/educators and all other extra facilities like sports fields, playing courts ,laboratories, libraries and even swimming pools.

Let us generously invest in our future generations. We will definitely catch more fish if we cast a bigger net notwithstanding any fishing bans.

Our primary schools are mostly in a sorry state. They are not good for the young minds that are supposed to learn inside their squalid boundaries.

It is like digging for gold with your bare nails. Think and think hard about this Mme Dow! Until we speak again…