Online Reporter
Trust Freddy
Herald Correspondent
Government says the level of preparedness for the opening of schools is at 100 percent, with Primary and Secondary Education Minister Torerai Moyo expected to tour schools tomorrow to assess the situation on the first day of the new term.
This comes as the new heritage-based curriculum will be rolled out in full starting tomorrow.
Yesterday, parents and guardians were busy making last-minute preparations for their children, with many spending a significant part of the day ensuring that everything was in place for a smooth start to the new school year.
The impending opening of schools has evoked mixed emotions among pupils, particularly Form One learners, who gathered at various pick-up points around the city with their parents and guardians to board buses to their new schools.
While some were excited to start this new chapter away from home, others were anxious about the new curriculum that will be introduced starting tomorrow.
Form One learners usually travel earlier for the first term for orientation as schools seek to better equip them for adaptation in the new stage of their education.
Tanaka Tandi, a Form One pupil who was heading to Pure Academy in Murehwa, said: “I am excited to start this new chapter of my life, but at the same time, I’m nervous about the new curriculum. Some are saying it’s more challenging than the old one, and I’m not sure if it’s true, but I will see it for myself.”
Another Form One learner, who only identified herself as Rutendo, shared similar sentiments.
“I am looking forward to making new friends and learning new things, but I am also worried about the workload. I have heard that high school requires a lot of project work and presentations, which makes me a bit anxious.”
On the other hand, some students were more optimistic about the new curriculum.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for us to learn new skills and gain more practical knowledge,” said Tinashe Kamwaza, who got a Form One place at Kwenda High School.
The Government has launched an intensive training programme to prepare teachers for the implementation of the new heritage-based curriculum.
In an interview yesterday, Minister Torerai Moyo said all was set for a smooth start to the first term, adding that lessons will start on opening day.
“The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is happy to inform all the stakeholders that the level of preparedness for the opening of the First Term is 100 percent,” he said.
“Boarders are travelling back to their schools on Monday (today), and l wish all of them safe travels. However, all the schools open for the beginning of the first term on Tuesday. Lessons will begin in earnest on the opening day. I will personally tour the schools from Tuesday to assess the smooth opening of schools.” Minister Moyo said all the country’s 10 provinces had received the new curriculum syllabuses, with teachers set to undergo training for effective implementation.
“We started rolling out the Heritage Based Curriculum in March 2024 after Cabinet had approved the New Curriculum. All 10 provinces and 64 administrative districts have received syllabi for all the learning areas for both primary and secondary schools.
“The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education with the help of our global partners in education have begun rolling out workshops. The workshops are so important because they enable our teachers to effectively implement the new curriculum.”
Minister Moyo also revealed that Government had initiated in-service training for teachers on coding and robotics.
“This helps our educators to supervise students on innovative ways of addressing challenges they face in life. Necessity is the mother of invention. Education undoubtedly contributes to economic growth and development,” said the Minister.
He also issued a strong warning to schools to strictly abide by the Government’s regulations, particularly those that reject the local currency as a form of fee payment.
“School authorities should respect our circulars and regulations,” he said.
“Compliance is mandatory. If any school authorities defy Government regulations, we have a cocktail of measures to deal decisively with culprits. However, we haven’t received any reports of schools that are rejecting the ZIG.”
The warning comes as the Government aims to crack down on schools that insist on foreign currency payments only, which can be a significant burden on parents.
Meanwhile, teachers have also indicated that they were ready to start the new year, expecting the Government to intensify the rollout of training on the new curriculum and improve their remuneration.
In an interview yesterday, Zimta chief executive Dr Sifiso Ndlovu said: “We are looking forward to the Ministry escalating training on the new curriculum, and we want every teacher to be trained.
“We are looking forward to a year where the new curriculum will start on a high note, and teachers will definitely be looking forward to starting the new year. We are also looking forward to the employer supporting the hardworking teachers in terms of their remuneration.”
Zimbabwe National Union of School Heads secretary-general Mr Munyaradzi Majoni told The Herald last week that they were expecting parents to pay fees on time.
“We anticipate a smooth opening of schools next week. Most administrators are finalising preparations for a seamless transition into the first term of 2025 and urging parents to make every effort to pay their fees in full by the first day of school,” he said.
A snap survey carried out by The Herald yesterday showed that most of the small and large-scale school uniform makers and suppliers were working round the clock with some opening their shops as early as 7am in Harare.
Street vendors were also selling school stationery on the pavements at discounted prices.
