School Pass Rate Below 50 Per Cent

Several school principals will be disciplined if there are clear indications that many students are failing in their schools due to the principals and teachers' non-performance.

There are revelations today that a total of 72 secondary schools from around the country have produced pass rates below 50 percent in 2007.

Interim Education Minister Filipe Bole said the task forces for improvement of the performance in the 72 schools provided a mid-year report for Bole and senior management of the ministry where feedback received, indicated that while some schools are striving towards their targets, there are others whose efforts are unsatisfactory.

Bole has also raised concern that some principals have failed to submit the necessary papers for the disbursement of funds depriving the students and teachers of facilities and equipment which should assist them in improving their work. He said out of the 46 schools that were earmarked for funds from the Ministry's Building Grant Allocation, ten have yet to submit the necessary quotations.

The Interim Education Minister stressed that laxity of this nature by principals will not be tolerated. Bole said if these principals are not performing their duties diligently and honestly, then the ministry will have no option but to discipline them.

He also stressed that the performance of students in the various subjects will reflect the performance of the subject teacher, the Head of Department and the principal, and the ministry will monitor this closely when the results are released in 2009.