On Learner Academic Performance

Learner academic performance especially in external standardised examination is

most important for the school. The principal admitted to be going out of his way to

manipulate the system so that the school get more credit in external examination. He

believes that getting more credits for the school is an issue of subject selection.

We talk to them [learners] and make them all do the „affordable‟ subjects. We call them „soft‟ subjects so that they have more credit; that is how we beat other schools… We do not allow [learners] to do what ever they want, and end up not

getting credits… In our school it is compulsory for all [learners] to do History, SiSwati, English and Religious Education… then they top up with their

specialities like commercial subjects, science etc. The idea is to enable them to get more credits and qualify to go University… In our school it is not about what [learners] like but about what they can do and add more to their credits.

It is interesting to see the tactics taken by the school in order to be ranked as one of

the best performing schools in the country. If one looks at the subject selection,

learners are expected to take four compulsory subjects in the school, the MoE also has

four core subjects which are compulsory for every secondary school learner and those

subjects are Maths, English, Science and Siswati. On top of the MoE four core

subjects, learners in this school are compelled by the school to also take up History

and Religious Education and this brings a total of six subjects. On the other hand all

secondary school learners are expected to take up seven subjects. The school‟s

arrangement of compelling learners to do History and Religious Education leaves

learners to have a choice of only one subject to add to the chosen six. The reality is

that commerce for instance, blends with accounts and woodwork blends with

technical drawing and one can argue that the [„soft subjects arrangement‟] puts

learners who wish to specialise on subjects at an awkward position.

The above arrangement also gives the impression that parents are voiceless when it comes to their children‟s education. They do not have an input in their children‟s

subject selection, the school has absolute control; learners are also painted as hopeless

individuals who do not have the ability to make informed choices on subject

selections. They are deprived of the crucial opportunity of shaping their future career

by choosing subjects they like. One could argue that the school should empower

learners to make informed choices instead of choosing subjects for them; learners

and make the right career choices through subject selection. The needs of the learners

should be informing their subject selection more than the desire to portray the school

as one which produces outstanding learner performance.

The problem in emphasising learners‟ tests and examination results is that it is often

done at the expense of quality learning. Quality learning involves a number of skills

which cannot be adequately accomplished by focus on only examination scores.

These skills include the incorporation of what is already known, problem solving, critical thinking, as well as “the recognition that learning involves uncertainty and

difficulty” Mac Gilchrist and Hopkins (1998:412).

…teachers and educational administrators work to ensure increases in test scores, however this does not mean that [learners‟] learning has improved, because it may be a form of antagonistic acceptance (Singh 1990:45)

Singh (1990) cautions against too much emphasis on improving learner examination

scores. It is important for learners to perform well on examination and that is not

disputed. The problem comes when exam scores supersedes everything else, even learners‟ right to choose the subjects they wish to undertake. The Principal also

believed that all learners are capable of performing well academically. Teachers need

to work extra hard and push learners to perform to their best capabilities.

Sometimes teachers quarrel with me because even if they bring cases of [learners] I do not entertain because I don‟t believe that there is a hopeless [learner]. I never say there is a hopeless [learner]; I always believe there is something that can be done. Give them time to read and concentrate, there is room for growth; I want to see them being something.

One HoD agreed:

we all know that we are supposed to be exam oriented..., like for instance, let‟s say we are talking about form three which requires composition writing,

whether they do that or not I would be lying if I were to say we follow them [teachers] or go to class with them, no we do not do that.”

Another side emerged when three teachers highlighted that the school‟s academic

performance is slowly declining. The principal was also reported to be „burnt out‟.

One teacher noted; “He is relaxed this year…in the previous years there were evening classes and weekends.”