What to expect in the New Curriculum

What to expect in the New Curriculum

Brian Rungano Temba

Cabinet today received and approved the Heritage-Based Education 2024-2030 which is expected to produce citizens with relevant skills, applied knowledge, values, and dispositions that are key to national development, a Minister has said.

While addressing the press during a Post Cabinet Briefing, Minister of Information Publicity and Broadcasting Services Hon. Dr. Jenfan Muswere said the proposed curriculum will embrace heritage as a basis for learning and infusing technology, and shall be implemented from ECD up to Upper Secondary School level.

“The pathways, whose learning areas are provided for in the framework, are Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM); Visual and Performing Arts; Humanities, especially the history of Zimbabwe; Technical/ Vocational Education and Training (TVET); and Commercials,” he added.

Major changes to expect include reduction of learning areas under the bid to rationalise and strengthen Continuous Assessment. The term CALA is no longer used in our Education nomenclature. We now use, School Based Continuous Assessment.

“At infant level (ECD A to Grade 2), learning areas are being reduced from the previous eleven to six. The reduction will also apply at Junior Level (Grades 3 to 7).

At Secondary school level, the core and compulsory learning areas are being reduced from seven to five. An inclusive and integrated approach will be used to cater for learners with special needs, including through provision of assistive devices,” said Hon Dr Muswere.

Learners at secondary school level will study at least three electives from the following categories: the sciences; languages; humanities; commercials; technical and vocational; and physical education and arts.

CALA (Continuous Assessment Learning Area) activities now denoted as school-based projects which emphasise on the learner being observed carrying out the practical aspect at school. To support the staffing on this, Personnel qualified in technical and vocational programmes will be considered for employment as teachers in relevant learning areas.

Suitable and appropriate physical and digital infrastructure will be provided. Closely related will be the provision of adequate and appropriate infrastructure including classrooms; workshops; laboratories; internet connectivity; technical equipment, and teachers’ houses; in order to achieve the intended goals.

National shrines and cultural heritage sites will be included throughout the curriculum, and the National Pledge will be accorded special emphasis in order to entrench patriotism, loyalty and respect and thereby inculcate the proper mindset. Products of the education system should know that Zimbabwe comes first.

Hon Dr Muswere told the press that the Heritage-Based Education will be anchored on the following pillars: (a) programmes/ learning areas infrastructure; (b) staffing infrastructure; (c) physical and digital infrastructure; (d) legal and regulatory infrastructure; and (e) financial infrastructure so as to ensure feasibility of its execution.