ORDINARY Level learners will now take a maximum of eight subjects — five of which are compulsory and three of their own choice — while a ceiling of four subjects has been set for Advanced Level under the Heritage-Based Education Curriculum whose operationalisation begins when schools open for the second term in a fortnight.
This follows the approval by Cabinet of the Heritage-Based
Education 2024 to 2030 curriculum framework, which is expected to transform the
education system to produce citizens with relevant skills aligned to national
development.
The Heritage-Based Education 2024 to 2030 curriculum, which
will not affect this year’s examination classes, is replacing the Continuous
Assessment Learning Activities (CALA).
In an interview, Director of Communications and Advocacy in
the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Mr Taungana Ndoro, said the
ministry is finalising the operational modalities of the Heritage-Based
Curriculum.
“These are the initial modalities on how schools are
supposed to run. For example, we will be having five compulsory subjects for
O-Levels, and a total of eight learning areas per learner. For A-Level, there
is requirement for a minimum of three learning areas and a maximum of four per
learner. We should also remember that the curriculum is not affecting the
current examination classes,” he said.
Circular 4 of 2024, released by the Ministry of Primary and
Secondary Education early this week reads: “The implementation of the primary
and secondary curriculum will be as follows: All the 2024 examination classes,
that is, Grade Seven, Form Four and Form Six, will continue with the old
curriculum and its assessment modalities.
“The 2024 examination classes (Grade Seven, Form Four and
Form Six), will continue with CALAs to complete the assessment cycle and submit
to ZIMSEC. Non-examination classes will commence School-Based Projects in May
2024.
Each learner at whatever level will do one project per
learning area per year.
“For the 2024 Grade Six, Form Three and Form Five learners,
school-based projects will be considered as part of the coursework mark to
ZIMSEC in 2025.
The primary school level will continue to use the syllabi
until December 31, 2024 after syllabus review.
Secondary school levels will continue to use the syllabi
until December 31, 2024 after syllabus review.
“In Forms One to Four, all learners study the following
five core and compulsory learning areas: (1) Mathematics (ii) English Language
(iii) Indigenous Language and Literature (iv) Combined Science (v) Heritage
Studies. In addition, learners also study at least three necessary electives.”
The circular further clarifies that the learner can now
select three more subjects of their choice from a cluster of sciences,
languages, humanities, commercials, technical and vocational education,
physical education and arts.
The recommended number of learning areas for study per
learner is eight.
On its implementation modalities, on Part 3.3.2, which
deals with Upper Secondary School Level (Form Five and Form Six), the circular
reads: “Form Five and Form Six learners will study learning areas according to
the career pathway.
A learner is placed into a pathway of choice using the
acquired competencies (knowledge, skills and values) and profile record.
“All learning areas have the same weight. The curriculum
promotes five pathways which are Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics (STEM): Visual Performing Arts; Technical and Vocational Education
and Training; Humanities and Commercials.”
The pathways for STEM, for example, has learning areas that
include Mathematics, Physics, Biology, Software Engineering, Computer Science,
Agriculture, Geography, Physical Education, Sports and Mass Displays, while the
Humanities pathway has Sociology, Indigenous Literature, Foreign Language,
Heritage Studies, Art, Physical Education, Sports and Mass Displays.
Commercials pathway has Economics, Business Enterprise,
Agribusiness, Physical Education, Sports and Mass Displays, Software
Engineering and Computer Science.
Visual and Performing Arts pathway has learning areas that
include Film, Music, Theatre Arts, Physical Education, Sports and Mass
Displays, Computer Science and Software Engineering.
The Heritage-Based Education 2024-2030 Curriculum Framework
is expected to transform the education system in order to produce citizens with
relevant skills, applied knowledge, values, and dispositions that are key to
national development, beginning with the communities they serve.
Zimbabwe Rural Teachers’ Union (ZRTU) president, Mr Martin
Chaburumunda said the capping of the number of subjects at O and A-Level
resonates with the plight of the rural child who was being pressurised to match
standards being set by their counterparts at boarding and elite schools.
He said in the past, some learners were registering more
than 20 subjects, while rural learners struggled to register eight.
“The rural learner was being eclipsed even they register
seven subjects and score As by their boarding counterparts who register 15
subjects and score 15As. This will help ground our learners on a particular
pathway. Our education should be career pathway-oriented,” he said. Manica Post
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