Talent Gore
IT’S the end of an era for Grade 7 students.
The Government has scrapped the traditional early school holiday for Grade 7 students who would have completed their end-of-year exams.
They are now expected to use the time to prepare for secondary school and receive guidance and counselling.
The focus will be on life skills education, career service fairs, study skills, physical education and sport.
Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education communication and advocacy director, Taungana Ndoro, said school heads must make arrangements for students to receive meaningful lessons and practical exercises.
No education tours should take place after the exams for reasons of safety and curriculum alignment.
“The time after the last Grade 7 exam is not a school holiday because all Grade 7 pupils should attend classes until the end of the third term,” Ndoro said.
“Heads of schools are duty-bound to make solid arrangements for all Grade 7 pupils to receive meaningful lessons and practical exercises in preparation for their transition to secondary school.”
He said the main focus, after exams, is to give guidance and counselling to pupils as they prepare to enrol for secondary school.
Ndoro said to ensure that schools comply with the directive, all provincial education directors are expected to strengthen their monitoring, supervision and inspection structures.
“Provincial education directors are expected to strengthen their monitoring, supervision and inspection structures to ensure that Grade 7 pupils are not disadvantaged by abandoning school before the official closure of the school year,” Ndoro said.