The Education Ministry said the Zimbabwe School
Examinations Council (Zimsec) examinations and the Continuous Assessment
Framework will now form part of the weighted contribution to learner
performance outcomes in Grade Seven, Form Four and Form Six public
examinations.
The Continuous Assessment Framework ultimately sets out
what learners are expected to know and be able to do as a direct result of
their learning in schools and non-formal education, starting from Early
Childhood Development (ECD) to Secondary level.
It emphasises the assessment of knowledge, skills,
abilities, values and trends to ascertain the achievement of desired learner
exit profiles at any level. At the moment, it will only apply to examination
classes.
In an interview, Minister of Primary and Secondary
Education Ambassador Cain Mathema said the adopted system will ensure fair
marks for every pupil.
“Schools are opened and learners will be continuously
assessed. We want to move from the past where learners are awarded pass or fail
grades at the end of the year. We acknowledge that some learners may not be
good in particular subjects but are good in others, we want to observe that so
that learners are awarded the marks that deserve,” he said.
“We have combined the continuous assessment and the Zimsec
examination that learners write at the end of the year in order to award
learners a fair mark. Learners have written examinations under Covid-19 hence
our continuous assessment strategy will not be affected by the pandemic.”
A document on the new strategy says the philosophy of
Ubuntu/unhu, which is catered for, will prepare learners for appropriate roles
in society and the real world of work.
The document also says the Continuous Assessment Framework
will accord teachers/facilitators the opportunity to participate fully in the
assessment of their learners.
“The new curriculum framework prescribes a new model of
assessment which is a hybrid of assessment for learning, assessment as learning
and assessment of learning,” the document reads. It accommodates diverse needs
such as different aptitudes, talents, gender, disabilities, socio-economic
status and vulnerabilities. It sets out the parameters at which schools can
build interactive education programmes that learners achieve desired outcomes
and function productively and efficiently in their societies.”
The framework says continuous assessment takes on board
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) as a key learning area and an
enabler of teaching and learning processes.
“For the first phase the framework will focus on
examination levels, that is, Grade Seven, Form Four and Form Six in 2021.
“The strategy thus strives to ensure the effective
assessment of learners with different aptitudes, interests, disabilities,
skills, attitudes, competencies and its thrust is the effective examination of
learners knowledge, skills and competencies in appositive and transparent
manner,” it says.
“While attempts have been made to develop a comprehensive
strategy, teachers are also encouraged to be innovative.
“It is envisaged if properly implemented the catch-up
strategy will help close the existing teaching and learning gaps emanating from
disruptions due to emergencies and help learners to improve their performance.”
A catch-up strategy to compensate for lost learning time,
and a coordinated system for accelerated learning, all of which involve the use
of alternative learning platforms such as WhatsApp for the benefit of pupils is
now in place.
Chronicle could not immediately establish yesterday how
marks will be allocated under continuous learning model but previously
officials said pupils were supposed to be graded based on 40 percent
theoretical examinations, 30 percent practical examinations and 30 percent
continuous assessment.
The introduction of continuous assessment is set to ensure
that the pupil and the teacher concentrate continuously instead of wasting time
in between and only concentrating on the eve of final examinations. Chronicle
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