THE Accelerated Learning Programme (ALP) introduced by the Primary and Secondary Education ministry has seen more than 100 school dropouts returning to school in Bulawayo.
LINDA CHINOBVA OWN CORRESPONDENT
ALP is a policy introduced to cater for children who dropped out of school due to various factors.
The “back to school” policy is aimed at reinstating pupils to continue with their education.
“The initiative that has already started in Bulawayo has seen many pupils return to school. The programme is to cater for pupils who dropped out of school due to various issues,” said Dan Moyo, the Bulawayo provincial education director.
Moyo said school heads are responsible for identifying the dropouts then the pupils are post-tested and when they pass the test, they are integrated into the initiative.
The initiative that has commenced in 70 primary schools in Bulawayo consists of three clusters: Children who dropped out of school between Grade One to Three are placed in a single class while grades Four and Five, and Grades Six and Seven make their own clusters.
Moyo said the initiative was positively acknowledged by those affected as it was seen through the enormous number of pupils who have been integrated into the programme.
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“The programme is still at primary school level and we are hoping that soon it will shift to secondary level,” said Moyo.
However, the ministry has barred schools from sending pupils away over unpaid fees saying it is the parents’ responsibility to see to it that children’s fees are fully paid. The economic meltdown has seen the country recording an increase in school dropouts.
The Midlands and the Matabeleland regions have recently recorded an increase in the number of school dropouts, with the worst hit being Matabeleland South which has recorded about 3 000 this year.
