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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondent
BULAWAYO councillors have said council should investigate the causes of poor pass rates in municipality-run schools.

Council’s latest report also revealed that council run schools are experiencing a mass exodus of pupils with economic factors being cited for the transfers.

Aisleby which is located at Aisleby Farm and St Peter’s located at St Peter’s village on the outskirts of Bulawayo are the worst performing council schools recording 40 and 44 percent pass rates respectively in last year’s public examinations.

Mahatshula Primary School had the highest pass rate at 84,8 percent.

However, poor pass rates at council schools are worrying councillors and they have since made calls for the local authority to investigate the matter.

“Councillor Charles Moyo was concerned about poor results at some council schools. Some of these schools are affected by the environment. It would be prudent for council to undertake research on such schools using student interns. Most learned public figures come from poor backgrounds. However, through hard work they managed to succeed,” reads the report.

Some councillors said the local authority should take into consideration the welfare of teachers as schools such as St Peter’s Primary School have a shortage of teachers’ cottages, contributing to poor pass rates.

“The cottages are not adequate and there is a need for council to improve the situation at its outlying schools. The Director of Housing and Community Services explained that St Peters and Aisleby schools were poor.  Most pupils in these schools come from socially challenged backgrounds. Some of the pupils travel long distances to school,” reads the council report.

Debating in the full council meeting on Wednesday evening, Ward 27 Councillor Siboniso Khumalo said council should not use poverty as an excuse to justify poor pass rates, saying a lot of poor people have intelligent children.

He emphasised the need for the council to investigate poor pass rates.

The same report also states that parents owe council over $2,2 million in unpaid fees.

It said 398 pupils transferred from council-run schools, but did not state where they had transferred to.

“The transfers were most likely caused by pupils fleeing from paying the special levies charged for the construction of ECD blocks and due to the harsh economic situations in the cities,” read the report.

Notable transfers were at schools such as Mgombane, Queen Elizabeth II, Tategulu, Mahlathini and Mafela Primary Schools.

Council urged parents to pay fees for children as failure to do so was affecting service delivery.

Meanwhile, the local authority through its social responsibility, paid school fees amounting to $15 092 for 230 secondary school going pupils. — @nqotshili