Council probes Dikwindi Primary head over poor results

MASVINGO City Council has set up a commission of inquiry to engage the head of the
council-run Dikwindi Primary School over poor Grade Seven results pass rates.
The local authority last week recommended that a special committee, which includes the
Acting Director of Housing and Social Services, Simbarashe Mandishona, arrange a meeting
with the headmaster.
Out of the six council run schools, Dikwindi Primary School came sixth with 17 learners out
of 147 who sat for the Grade Seven examinations in 2022 constituting about 11.6 percent.
According to the minutes of the Health, Housing and Environmental Services Committee,
Shakashe Primary came first with a 31,5 pass rate followed by Runyararo with 27,7 percent,
Vurombo with 27 percent, Rujeko 21,6 percent and Francis Aphiri came fifth with 19,8
percent.
“It was reported that Shakashe Primary School was the best performing School for 2022 and
Runyararo Primary School was the runner up. As per tradition, Council would reward the
school for outstanding performance upon further consultations.
The Committee raised concern on the poor performance by Dikwindi Primary School. The
Acting Director of Housing and Social Services was instructed to engage the school head for
Dikwindi and find out the causes of the poor performance.
The committee further highlighted that if there were challenges at the school, the head should
have communicated to council in time so that corrective measures would have been taken by
the responsible authority,” reads part of the minutes.