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{
    "id": 514082,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/514082/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 73,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Prof.) Nyikal",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 434,
        "legal_name": "James Nyikal",
        "slug": "james-nyikal"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. I stand to oppose the Motion as it is. Ranking in principle is good for competition. However, that competition must be on a level playing ground. Internationally, there are ranking criteria in place. Universities are ranked, but we look at the criteria that are put in place. We should look at the infrastructure, extra- curricular activities and the student to teacher ratio. You cannot take a school where the student to teacher ratio is almost 1:1 and rank it with a school where the student to teacher ratio is 1:20. That does not work. We have had a lot of problems with ranking. The Leader of the Majority Party has indicated all this. We cannot be a country that establishes task forces, gets results and then we ignore them. I have read a book which says: “Why are “A” students working for “C” students? This is basically because the ranking system, as we are proposing now, just concentrates on getting students to get high grades and not building the character and the ability of the students. In this country today, we need students who are open- minded and can process information, but not students who can recall information. We have had a lot of problems with ranking. The reports have indicated the same. Students have gone on strike demanding that their headmasters have not leaked exams to them. We know schools which have two examination centres, namely, one for the best 20 pupils and the other for the rest of the pupils. Only the results of the 20 best pupils are used to rank the school. Is that what we want? Some children are even denied the chance to sit for the exams because in the assessment of the teachers, they will bring the ranking of the schools down because of their performance. We know schools that force students out."
}