Teacher links curriculum to bad student behaviour

Bavaroko Primary School head teacher Catherine Moresi is blaming the outcome-based curriculum (OBC) for an increase in the poor discipline of students.
Moresi said students lacked respect and the right conduct in school because students were not taught well and the sense of appreciation and contentment was missing.
“Swearing, alcohol consumption, betel nut chewing, fighting, disobeying the teachers’ instruction and more have risen and teachers are finding it very difficult to deal with that at school,” Moresi said.
“Teachers are talking in front and the students are talking at their desk with their friends.”
She said students were not being educated properly and not understanding the lsessons which frustrated them “maybe because of the type of curriculum we are implementing and maybe with the modern technology, peer pressure and parents’ lack of time and commitment with their children”.
“I used to wonder if their parents speak to them about the type of situation we have,” Moresi said.
“There are a lot of kids from broken homes and the parents don’t have time with the kids.
“These are all the surrounding factors contributing to the kind of students and children we have in our communities.”
Moresi said that with the implementation of the Lukautim Pikinini Act, teachers were restricted in ways they can deal with the students in terms of enforcing discipline.
She felt that with the standard-based curriculum being gradually phased in, some of the issues she had brought up would be sorted.