The new curriculum is set to commence at the beginning of
the second term in May with the Government saying learners should write not
more than four A-level subjects and eight O-level subjects.
The cap is, however, likely to be effected next year as
most learners have already registered for this year’s examinations.
Speaking to Sunday News, the Director of Communication and
Advocacy in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Mr Taungana Ndoro
said the new curriculum was strict on the number of subjects that learners
could sit for at both O and A-level.
“This is a subsequent curriculum that buttresses the
previous competence-based curriculum. Now we have the heritage-based curriculum
and we have put in place modalities for the operationalisation of this
curriculum.
“One of the key highlights is the issue of five compulsory
learning areas and also the capping of subjects that learners can write.
Learners should write a maximum of eight subjects at O-level and a maximum of
four A-level subjects, nothing more than four,” said Mr Ndoro.
He emphasised the need for parents and guardians to be
aware of the disadvantages of allowing their children to register more subjects
than are necessary.
“Our message is very clear, it is key that your child
specialises in the areas in which they are competent. We have five compulsory
learning areas or subjects at O-level, one can then take three elective
subjects to make them eight. That makes a normal O-level candidate, who can
progress to A-level and university. It is the same with A-level, a minimum of
three and a maximum of four subjects. Normally we just want three because when
students go to university, they just consider the best three subjects, the rest
are not considered,” emphasised Mr Ndoro.
He said students must focus their strengths on those
subjects that need to be specialised in rather than writing multiple subjects
that are not going to assist them as they proceed with their education.
“We do not want an education system where learners write 15
subjects at O-level and 10 at A-level. It becomes unnecessary and meaningless.
What we want is to streamline and get the best value out of our heritage-based
curriculum,” said Mr Ndoro.
He said the ministry is going to be visiting schools to
observe how the new curriculum is implemented.
“As schools open in May, the ministry is going to monitor
the implementation process of the heritage-based curriculum. We are very
excited that it is being embraced by a lot of our schools and teachers, unlike
the previous curriculum where there was the component of Continuous Assessment
Learning Activity (CALA) which was a bit unpopular, this one seems popular and
acceptable by all stakeholders,” said Mr Ndoro.
Of late, the media has been profiling learners who sit and
pass multiple subjects at both levels of secondary education.
Mr Ndoro, however, said the streamlining of examination
subjects under the heritage-based curriculum also speaks to Government subsidy
on examination fees for those in public schools where a 55 percent subsidy
applies to a maximum of seven O-level subjects and four A-level subjects
including Communication Skills.
Students who wish to go above the stipulated subjects under
the subsidy will have to pay for the extra subjects at the full fee cost.
The full examination fees, minus the subsidy according to
Zimsec have been pegged at US$24 for O-level candidates while A-levels pay
US$48. Sunday Mail
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