Ordinary level learners will now take a maximum of eight subjects – five compulsory and three of their choice – while a ceiling of four subjects has been set for advanced level under the Heritage-Based Education curriculum which comes into effect when schools open their doors to students. The second semester in two weeks.
This comes after the Cabinet approved the Curriculum Framework for Heritage-Based Education 2024 to 2030, which is expected to transform the education system to produce citizens with relevant skills compatible with national development.
The 2024 to 2030 Heritage-Based Education Curriculum, which will not impact this year’s examination classes, replaces Continuing Assessment Learning Activities (CALA).
In an interview, the Director of Communications and Advocacy at the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Mr Taungana Ndoro, said the ministry was finalizing the operational modalities for the heritage-based curriculum.
“These are the rudiments of how schools are supposed to work. For example, we will have five compulsory subjects for O levels, and a total of eight learning areas for each learner. For A levels, a minimum of three learning areas and a maximum of four are needed.” For every learner, he said: “We must also remember that the curriculum does not affect the current examination classes.”
Circular No. 4 of 2024 issued by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education earlier this week stated the following: “Implementation of the primary and secondary school curricula will be as follows: All grades for the 2024 exams, i.e. seventh grade, fourth grade, and sixth grade,” will continue with the old curriculum and its evaluation methods. .
“The 2024 examination classes (Form 7, Form 4 and Form 6) will continue with CALAs to complete the assessment cycle and submit to ZIMSEC. Non-examination classes will start in school projects in May 2024.
Each learner at any level will undertake one project per learning area per year.
“For 2024 Year 6, Year 3 and 5 learners, school projects will be considered part of the course mark for ZIMSEC in 2025.
The elementary school level will continue to use the curriculum until December 31, 2024 after the curriculum is revised.
Secondary school levels will continue to use the curriculum until December 31, 2024 after the curriculum review.
“In models one to four, all learners study the following five core and compulsory learning areas: (1) Mathematics (2) English (3) Indigenous Language and Literature (4) Combined Sciences (5) Heritage Studies. In addition, learners study Also at least three electives are necessary.
The circular explains that the learner can now choose three additional subjects of his choice from the group of sciences, languages, humanities, commercial advertising, technical and vocational education, physical education, and the arts.
The recommended number of learning areas of study for each learner is eight.
Regarding implementation modalities, in Section 3.3.2, which addresses senior secondary school level (form 5 and form 6), the circular states: “Learners in form 5 and form 6 will study learning areas according to the career path.
The learner is placed on a selection pathway using acquired competencies (knowledge, skills, values) and profile history.
“All areas of learning have equal weight. The curriculum promotes five streams: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM): Visual Performing Arts; Technical and Vocational Education and Training; Humanities and Business.
STEM tracks, for example, have educational areas that include mathematics, physics, biology, software engineering, computer science, agriculture, geography, physical education, sports, and performance, while the humanities track has sociology, literature Indigenous, foreign language, heritage studies, art, physical education, sports and mass performances.
The commercials track contains economics, business enterprise, agribusiness, physical education, sports, mass performances, software engineering and computer science.
The Visual and Performing Arts track has educational areas including film, music, theater arts, physical education, sports, performance, computer science and software engineering.
The Heritage-Based Curriculum Framework 2024-2030 is expected to transform the education system in order to produce citizens with relevant skills, applied knowledge, values and dispositions that are fundamental to national development, starting with the communities they serve.
President of the Zimbabwe Rural Teachers Union (ZRTU), Mr Martin Shaburomunda, said the identification of a number of subjects at O and A level resonated with the plight of the rural child who was under pressure to match the standards set by their counterparts at boarding school and school. Elite schools.
He said that in the past, some learners would score more than 20 subjects, while rural learners struggled to score eight subjects.
“The rural learners were so superior that they scored seven subjects and secured higher marks than their internal counterparts who scored 15 subjects and secured 15 marks. This will help anchor our learners on a particular path. Our education should be career oriented,” he said. Manica Post
