November 25, 2024 at 12:43 pm
MUT objects about the removal of students’ behaviour component from school leaving certificates
In an unexpected and seemingly unprecedented decision, the Education Ministry through its Directorates has communicated to secondary schools that behaviour shall no longer form part of the school leaving certificate issued to students with immediate effect. School leaders have also been told that should educators write any remark about behaviour in school leaving certificates, it shall be deleted by officials. Although school leaders raised their objections about this change, it seems that the Directorates are steaming ahead with the decision, claiming that the behaviour component is subjective. The MUT invites officers to spend more hours and days in the classrooms to understand the realities of schools whereby student misbehaviour and school discipline are still one of the major challenges to educators in schools.
Rather than taking measures to empower schools to tackle misbehaviour, this decision is disempowering educators, removing their sole means to address misbehaviour in the final years of secondary schools. The behaviour component was part of the school leaving certificate for several years even before the current format. The MUT has raised its objections to the Education Ministry, claiming that by ‘hiding’ misbehaviour in schools it will not solve any problem. Instead it will accentuate it, leaving educators with no tools to address misbehaviour. MUT is requesting that this decision is withdrawn.
