HIGHER Education, Science and Technology Development deputy minister Godfrey Gandawa has said mathematics is not a prerequisite for every student to enrol at the country’s teacher training colleges.
BENSON DUBE
Gandawa said student teachers could enrol at any teacher training college without mathematics for as long as they were not majoring in the subject.
“There is no policy that says student teachers are supposed to have maths as a prerequisite to enrol, especially at secondary school teacher training colleges,” said Gandawa.
“Primary school teacher training colleges enrol students without maths and give them a condition that during their study at college, they do what is called an abridgement course in maths. People misinterpreted the condition and thought maths was a requirement,” Gandawa said.
He said maths was necessary for primary school teachers as they teach many subjects at that level and should at least pass the subject through an abridgment programme offered at teacher training colleges.
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He said for secondary schools teacher training colleges, maths is not emphasised as one may be majoring in Ndebele or Shona unlike in primary schools where several subjects are taught.
“Maths is not emphasised at secondary teacher training colleges as there is some speciality on particular subjects whereas in primary school, many subjects are involved that need to be taught by one person,” Gandawa said.
There had been queries on the strict requirement of maths at Ordinary Level as a prerequisite for enrolment into the country’s teacher training colleges.