Govt to review competence-based curriculum

Zim Now Writer

Government says it is set to review the competence-based curriculum when its seven-year cycle comes to an end at the end of this year.

Speaking at the presentation of the Secretary’s Merit Award to Nyamhunga Number 1 Government Primary School in Kariba, Mashonaland West Province on Saturday, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Tumisang Thabela said a review process in preparation for the next seven-year cycle is on the cards.

“To date a terminal evaluation has been undertaken. You are all invited to participate so that you can proffer suggestions on what to be taken on board or discard for the next cycle,” Thabela said.

“In light of the learning poverty that prevailed due to COVID-19-induced school closures, the ministry came up with a cocktail of alternative learning spaces. This entails blended learning, development of catch-up materials and compressed syllabi for accelerated learning.

“In 2017, the school attained a pass rate of 72 percent, 78 percent in 2018 and 89 percent in 2019. This is quite commendable. I have been made aware, however, that the school experienced a slight decline of 86 percent pass rate in 2020 and 83 percent in 2021 due to Covid-19 pandemic.”

The accolade awarded to Nyamhunga Number 1 Government Primary School carries with it the Head’s tablet and certificate of excellence, 40 tablets, projector, electronic interactive board and a laptop.

The school’s headmistress, Bridget Masocha said: “Infrastructural development has also been a key aspect that we pursued and our School Development Committee, has made a splendid effort in ensuring we have well-maintained classrooms with new furniture with fans and an air-conditioned Administration block.”

When the competence-based curriculum was introduced in 2015, it drew the ire of parents over the extra burden it placed on their already stretched pockets in terms of its requirements.

Grade Seven results in the past couple of years have been going down, prompting authorities to speculate that part of the new curriculum’s components, the Continuous Assessment Learning Activity contributed to the downward trend, although the Covid-19 pandemic interruptions also played a part.