Unions representing teachers have criticized the newly introduced heritage-based curriculum, saying it borrows too heavily from the ruling Zanu PF manifesto.
According to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, instilling the philosophy of Ubuntu in learners will be mandatory under the new curriculum.
This follows the cancellation of the controversial Continuous Assessment Learning Activities, a program that involves learning activities, projects or assessment that requires learners to perform and demonstrate their knowledge, understanding and competence. It contributed 30% to the student’s final grades, while the other 70% came from the end-of-year exams.
Ubuntu is a philosophy that supports collectivism over individualism.
In an April 22 circular addressed to all education departments, the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Musa Mekki, said the new curriculum aims to graduate national students.
“In order to produce a highly competent pupil with a Zimbabwean outlook, the following educational objectives should be pursued: ‘Promote measures to shape pupils to cherish and practice the Zimbabwean philosophical orientation of Onhu/Ubuntu/Fumunhu,’” the circular reads in part.
The core values of the heritage-based curriculum are “discipline, manifestations of patriotism, ubuntu, volunteerism, honesty and pride in being Zimbabwean,” the circular said.
However, teachers who spoke to NewsDay yesterday condemned the new curriculum, saying it aimed to produce “politicised robotic machines” rather than useful individuals in society.
Zimbabwe Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union leader Obert Masarore said the new curriculum was politicised.
“Heritage Studies is a manifesto of the Zanu Patriotic Front party which is used to indoctrinate learners by sharing fake, fictitious history of the heroics of the ruling party,” Masaruri said. “This is not the education we want for our children.”
Masaror said the curriculum will produce learners who hate critical thinking.
He added: “Unfortunately, the government decided to confine itself to imposing heritage studies as the only compulsory subject capable of educating citizens about rights, duties, and responsibilities.”
Zimbabwe Progressive Teachers Union president Takavivira Chu said there had been no consultation on arriving at “politicized” curricula.
“This is not the product of broad consultations, but rather the result of imposition from above for political benefit,” Zhou said.
“It is a product of self-pollination by political players, not a healthy cross-pollination of ideas, and is therefore weak. It is more of just directing learners to the local area under the heading of heritage, which is dangerous in the global village.
Cho raised dust because there was no budget for the new curriculum.
“It will be difficult to implement just like the previous so-called updated curricula,” he said.
“There is no clarity on how the Ministry will solve the crisis of 75% of primary schools and 65% of secondary schools without electricity and solar energy in order to put schools on an equal footing to introduce ICT, science and technology.”
He said the directive lacked clear plans to build the more than 3,000 schools needed in Zimbabwe or even employ the more than 50,000 teachers needed in the schools.
“Without clear standards and industrial hubs in schools, not to mention proper infrastructure, ICT, science and technology or budget for heritage-based curricula, this remains a pipe dream built on sandy ground that will easily collapse,” he said.
Zhou also pointed out rudimentary shortcomings in the new curriculum such as “the absence of agriculture at the O level but including it at the A level… and the absence of accounting at the A level while including it at the O level.”
“In other words, there is no spiral learning in this heritage education,” he said.
Zimbabwe Teachers Union secretary-general, Tabidza Chu, said the success of the new curriculum depends on the government motivating teachers with good salaries.
“It’s axiomatic that any program that puts teachers at the center misses the mark long before it starts because teachers are financially, psychologically and emotionally bankrupt,” he told NewsDay.
“Any program that relies too heavily on frustrated teachers will never see the light of day.
“The Ministry still owes teachers money due to non-payment for the 2021 and 2022 curriculum workshops, as the teachers used their own resources to attend the workshops.
He added: “The Minister of Education must take seriously the issue of teacher motivation as the critical factor on which the successful implementation of the new heritage-based curriculum depends.” Newsday
