Charles Dube
THE public O-level and A-level June examinations have come and gone. The time for waiting for the results has begun in earnest. Positively there is quietness surrounding the writing of these examinations.
This gives credibility in the examinations systems unlike in some instances where the media would already be awash with negatives like talking of leakages in some examinations. Such stories destroy the confidence of the learners who feel short-changed at the end of it all.
However, I need to emphasise on examination preparedness. I could not have highlighted ill-preparedness by some learners while the examinations were in full swing in case concerned learners could have been demoralised. Here is one case of ill-preparedness: It is 3 June 2018, a couple of minutes past 9:00pm. The Zimbabwe Schools Examination (Zimsec) O-level English Paper One is set to be written as from 9:00am. the following day — a concerned learner sends a sms asking me to give him or her tips on the writing of compositions.
It was too late for me to offer some help at that hour and to the disappointment of that learner I declined. If I remember well I had discussed that subject a couple of weeks before the examinations and a number of times before in these pages. I could only conclude that such is a disorganised learner who goes into the examination room ill-prepared and is never serious about learning. Learners should be serious about impending examinations before they even register to sit the examinations.
Learners should thoroughly prepare for the examinations.
Parents and guardians fork out money for learners to study and sit examinations at the end of the day. But we have disturbing scenarios of learners deciding not to sit for examinations they registered for because they are not ready. Why spend money registering for subjects you are not ready to sit for? The money used to register these subjects to many parents and guardians is not easy to come by. They have to dig deep into their pockets to raise that money.
Teachers, parents and guardians are treading on dangerous ground these days when it comes to matters of discipline, be it at home or school. How is the child going to react to the method used to discipline him or her? There was no problem in the past as this triumvirate, the teachers, parents and guardians were all in agreement that any wayward behaviour by the child had to be corrected through a slight spank or beating. They believed in these wise words which we also find in the Holy book, the Bible: “Spare the rod and spoil the child.”
In fact all these were happy to hear that a certain teacher was good at thrashing learners in his or class. Most advocated their children pass through that teacher’s hands because they knew that their children would be corrected and guided out of mischief. Teachers were revered for helping to groom well-behaved children. It could have been wrong if they were feared as some put it when talking their days at school that they feared teacher so and so, headmaster or headmistress.
When teachers visited homes of their learners in the village, learners immediately disappeared because they thought the former would raise their misdemeanours at school. On the other hand, they thought their parents or guardians would also reveal their acts of misbehaviour at home and the teachers were likely to raise that at school and they would face due punishment. This clearly demonstrates that the school and parents were united in terms of disciplining learners.
There was no blame game like we witness today. Giving a child a smack nowadays is regarded as barbaric. Many teachers, parents and guardians have found themselves before courts of law for thrashing children or learners. The society or communities have become sensitive to matters of beating up children. It is like everybody is on the lookout for such cases.
This is quite positive because it shows that the general public has been enlightened on the dangers of beating and abuse of children.
However, there’s now a fearful trend among children or learners who in some cases have refused to take adult advice and have gone on to commit suicide leaving teachers, parents and guardians perplexed, with no answers to the causes of that. May the souls of those who have departed in that fashion rest in peace. Even though death comes when it comes and in whatever fashion, some of them have left a lot of unanswered questions. Some of these have left a lot of suspicions and mistrust among stakeholders.
The question which preoccupies the minds of the people is: “What exactly is happening?” There is a need for answers, but, the problem is that some of us in the terraces jump into quick unsubstantiated conclusions. These at times fan conflicts leading to failure to find the truth and causes of what is at stake. We cannot all be counsellors. We cannot blame outsiders for spoiling everything for the bereaved as parents, guardians and parents are capable of making mistakes which result in tragedy.
It is a fact that all parents want their children to be responsible, focused, disciplined and appreciative. In most cases, if you are a parent or teacher, you have probably already realised that it is not easy to achieve this goal. This is especially so if your children are pre-teens and teens. Note some common mistakes that parents make when communicating with their children:
They nag or remind their children too often. They focus on their children’s behaviour without getting to the root of the problem.
Parents, guardians and teachers tell their children that they are not making the most potential, making the children feel as if they are not trying hard enough. They set rules and boundaries without involving their children in the process. They focus on their children’s behaviour more than on the parent-child relationship. They discipline or punish their children when they are angry. They continually point out their children’s flaws and give long lectures. Lastly, but not least, they ignore and down play their children’s feelings.
For views link with Charles dube14058@gmail.com/ or sms to 0772113207.