The Sunday News
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
Cabinet has received and approved the Heritage-Based Education 2024- 2030 Curriculum Framework which is expected to transform the education system to produce citizens with relevant skills, applied knowledge, values, and dispositions that are key to national development, beginning with the communities they serve.
This was said by the Minister of Information Publicity and Broadcasting Services Dr Jenfan Muswere in a Post Cabinet Briefing.
“The Primary and Secondary Education system is being designed to mold productive learners who will cherish and practise the Zimbabwean philosophical orientation of Unhu/Ubuntu. 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 Commercial,” said Dr Muswere.
Heritage-Based Education will be anchored on five pillars: programmes/ learning areas infrastructure; staffing infrastructure; physical and digital infrastructure; legal and regulatory infrastructure; and financial infrastructure.
Dr Muswere said at infant level (ECD A to Grade two), 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 the provision of assistive devices.
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.
Dr Muswere also said the institutions will be capacitated to embrace the new curriculum.
“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. The workshops and laboratories shall be tailor-made according to the unique geographical needs and locally available resources which learners can observe, manipulate, and explore during their learning processes,” he added.
With a view to fulfilling the mantra of leaving no one and no place behind, the nation is informed that Government will ensure the provision of conducive teaching and learning infrastructure in rural areas, Smallscale and Commercial farming areas as well as Old and New Resettlement areas. A needs analysis will be conducted in all areas in order to guide implementation.
@NyembeziMu
