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Enrolment for Lower Sixth for 2019 is underway, with most schools expected to complete the exercise by the end of this week. Those that have already completed the exercise are expected to start classes today.

But we note that over the years, the recruitment exercise has been going out of hand.

The schools tendered to favour the considered crème de la crème — those with a certain number of “A” grade passes at Ordinary Level — leaving out the average, but equally talented learners.

This is why we welcome the guidelines put in place by Government for the enrolment to ensure that all learning areas are well-subscribed, with all classes being viable.

The new system introduced by Government will put to rest challenges that have over the years bedevilled previous enrolments that often failed to absorb average, but qualifying learners.

Such selection criterion often disadvantaged students with average passes who ended up travelling long distances to other schools, because the ones within their vicinity would have been filled up with learners with A grade passes.

With Government introducing the new trajectory, we hope such discriminatory practices will not continue, with school administrations becoming inclusive in their enrolment.

An avalanche of learning aids now make it possible for a learner from a good school and a modest family background to attain straight A passes in all the subjects at O’ Level.

Such passes give the learner an added advantage to enrol in a school of their choice.

Sadly, the same cannot be said for the majority of learners who still struggle to access basic learning resources, diminishing any hopes they may have of passing with high grades.

The challenges faced by such talented, but disadvantaged students are too many.

Proximity to the school, teacher-pupil ratio, student-textbook ratio and lack of other basic amenities, further contribute to the attainment of low, but good passes.

The struggle continues when such students fail to enrol at schools within their proximity because of their low grades, forcing them to travel long distances or enrol with bogus, unregistered colleges that have mushroomed in recent years.

School administrators should expedite the implementation of the guidelines provided by the Government, to ensure that every learner has an equal opportunity to a Lower Sixth place, without being discriminated on the basis of their passes, or the combination of subjects they want to take.

While it is undoubtedly true that science and technology are the in-thing and viewed as the cornerstone of the nation, humanities are equally important to lubricate the moral nexus of any nation.

Equal opportunity in enrolment will in the long run promote hybrid students, with interests in both sciences and arts, and also a deluge of co-curricular activities. Society needs multi-talented learners who are both good academics and can also relate to societal challenges.

Within the same spirit of embracing learners with average passes, due diligence is also needed to ensure that the learner who is being enrolled gets the necessary support in handling the pressure that comes with Advanced Level studies.

Development of any nation or community depends largely on the quality of education of such a nation, with also the belief that the basis for any true development must commence with the development of human resources.

Education is Zimbabwe’s pride and joy, which has taken us this far as a nation.

We, therefore, need to protect our much vaunted education system, which has made us the pride of the continent, by employing the right methods through a proper enrolment system across the board.

Let every child who deserves get the chance to proceed with their education unhindered.