The Sunday News
THE mere mention of Mpopoma High School brings a lot of good memories to those who value education in Bulawayo and other parts of the country. This is so because Mpopoma High carries the hopes of many who have education at heart especially those from the disadvantaged communities living in the high-density suburbs of Bulawayo.
Over the years Mpopoma High School has scored excellent results in both the Ordinary and Advanced level national examinations in the process producing students who have gone on to become leaders in different sectors of life. The school has done well in sports as well and other activities associated with education.
In a nutshell Mpopoma High School carries the hope of Bulawayo. The school has scored a lot of achievements despite the fact that it is located in the high-density suburbs where there is hot seating because of the high pupil population and there are a number of challenges facing it because the communities it serves are dominated by the under-privileged who struggle to pay fees and other charges demanded by the authorities.
However, with such an impeccable record, we today carry a story about this doyen of education in the city that is disturbing and is threatening to tear into pieces the good name of this wonderful school.
According to the story, some teachers at Mpopoma High School have opened a “new annex school” where they are renting a nearby church building with pupils being forced to pay for extra lessons that are being taken during the day. The sad development we are told has resulted in the teachers not taking their normal lessons seriously.
Lessons are going for $50 per month. The most affected pupils are candidates for the Ordinary and Advanced levels this year. Parents and pupils who spoke to Sunday News said those who cannot afford to pay for extra lessons are no longer taken seriously and this has led to parents being forced to look for the money for their children so that they can attend the diabolical extra lessons.
We, therefore, call upon authorities at Mpopoma High School to investigate these disturbing reports. The challenge to the school authorities and officials from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is to nip this problem in the bud. We cannot allow a few teachers to develop mercenary tendencies and drag the name of the school into the mud.
If the bad apples at Mpopoma High School have forgotten what role they are supposed to play, we take this opportunity to remind them that the role of a teacher is to help pupils to learn, impart knowledge, be role models to those pupils and be resource developers instead of being daylight robbers. They should stop carrying attributes of mercenaries who are known for being motivated solely by the desire for monetary gain. Those Mpopoma High School teachers should discard their tag of being hirelings because what they are doing is morally wrong. They have a duty to serve both the poor and the rich. We say NO to daylight robbery.
