Sithabile Tshuma, a 53-year-old teacher at Mdubiwa Secondary School in Lower Gwelo, yearns for the simplicity of the 1980 post-independence education curriculum. Sitting in her modest two-roomed cottage, she struggles to understand the newly introduced Heritage-Based Education Curriculum 5.0, a dense document spread across her worn wooden table.
The cold air seeps through the corrugated asbestos roof as she grapples with the complex new curriculum she must master quickly to teach her pupils. “This government is just confused. From Cala [Continuous Assessment Learning Activities] to Heritage-Based, I still don’t understand what the government is trying to implement. No one was consulted,” Tshuma told NewsDay.
The Heritage-Based Education 2024-30 Curriculum Framework, which replaced the widely rejected Cala curriculum, spans from early childhood development (ECD) to upper secondary school, excluding exam classes. It comprises five components: teaching, research, community service, innovation, and industrialization, aimed at transforming the nation into a knowledge-based economy.
Despite the government’s efforts to introduce this new curriculum, Tshuma and many of her colleagues are struggling to adapt. “The truth is that even former Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Lazarus Dokora’s imposed Cala and now this Heritage-Based learning are just being forced down our throats,” Tshuma lamented. “The curriculum should revert to what it was in 1980, emphasizing practical subjects that equip learners with skills for survival even before employment.”
Tshuma, a dedicated educator with 20 years of experience at Mdubiwa Secondary School, finds the Heritage-Based Curriculum to be foreign and confusing. Her deep familiarity with her school and community contrasts sharply with her struggle to comprehend the new educational directives.
In response to the confusion, Primary and Secondary Education Ministry spokesperson Taungana Ndoro told NewsDay that the government has initiated training programs to help teachers nationwide understand the new curriculum. “We are carrying out training programs for our teachers nationwide,” Ndoro stated.
However, Obert Masaraure of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe criticized the new curriculum, calling it “a disaster” and “a mess.” He accused the government of pushing a political agenda through the curriculum, which he believes is retrogressive. Masaraure argued that the curriculum should address current challenges and foster critical thinking skills in students.
“We don’t need to revert to the 1980 curriculum,” Masaraure said. “What we urgently need is a curriculum tailored to address today’s challenges and develop solutions. The compulsory subjects in this curriculum do not enhance individual critical thinking skills, which are essential for holding leaders accountable.”
Raymond Majongwe, Secretary-General of the Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe, dismissed the new curriculum as an “empty shell.” He criticized the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education for failing to craft a useful curriculum for future generations.
“The new curriculum has thrust us back into confusion similar to Circular 2/2017,” Majongwe said. “It dabbles in abstract concepts that the ministry likely never hopes to achieve. What is Heritage-Based Curriculum, and how does it fit into the globalized world our learners enter after school?”
Majongwe emphasized the importance of consultation in developing new curricula, warning that the current approach of ministry bureaucrats would inevitably lead to failure.
Despite these criticisms, the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council reported an improvement in pass rates for the November 2023 Ordinary Level examinations, with a 4.35% increase to 29.41%. The Advanced Level results showed an 88% pass rate in 2022 and a 94.60% increase in 2023.
However, Promise Tembo, a teacher at Lord Malvern High School in Harare, echoed concerns about the new curriculum. “This curriculum is imposed like Cala was, and many teachers are struggling to understand it,” Tembo told NewsDay. “We can’t go back to the 1980 settings, but the government must do the right thing, not rush this for propaganda.”
Tembo criticized the lack of training and funding to support the curriculum changes. “The Heritage-Based Education Curriculum is ineffective. No training for teachers, old syllabi are still in use, and the curriculum change should start from the preliminary stages,” he said.
Tembo highlighted the lack of motivation among teachers due to inadequate remuneration. “Only motivating teachers through reasonable remuneration can make things work in schools. All stakeholders must be involved in national issues like these,” he said.
The government’s approach to implementing the new curriculum has left many educators feeling alienated and unsupported. As the confusion persists, the need for a well-consulted, properly funded, and strategically implemented curriculum becomes increasingly clear.
Zimbabwe’s new Heritage-Based Education Curriculum has thrown teachers into confusion, with many struggling to adapt to the changes. While the government has initiated training programs, criticism from teachers’ unions and educators highlights significant gaps in consultation, support, and practical implementation. To ensure a successful transition, the government must prioritize proper funding, extensive training, and active involvement of all stakeholders in the education sector. Only then can the new curriculum achieve its intended goals of fostering innovation and critical thinking in Zimbabwe’s students.
Source: Newsday
