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Source: Storm brews over Heritage-based Curriculum -Newsday Zimbabwe

UNIONS representing teachers have criticised the newly-introduced Heritage-based Curriculum saying it heavily borrows from the ruling  Zanu PF party’s manifesto.

According to the Primary and Secondary Education ministry, the inculcation of Ubuntu philosophy in learners will be compulsory under the new curriculum.

 

This follows the scrapping of the controversial Continuous Assessment Learning Activities, a programme which involved learning activities, projects or assessment that required learners to perform, demonstrate their knowledge, understanding and proficiency. It contributed 30% to a student’s final marks, while the other 70% came from end of year class examinations.

Ubuntu is a philosophy that supports collectivism over individualism.

In a circular dated April 22 addressed to all education departments, Primary and Secondary Education ministry secretary, Moses Mhike said the new curriculum was meant to produce patriotic students.

“In order to produce a highly competent pupil who has a Zimbabwean outlook, the following aims of education should be pursued; strengthening measures to mould the pupils to cherish and practise the Zimbabwean philosophical orientation of Unhu/Ubuntu/Vumunhu,” partly read the circular.

 

 

The circular said the core values of the Heritage-based Curriculum were “discipline, manifestation of patriotism, Ubuntu, volunteerism, honesty and pride in being Zimbabwean”.

Educators, who spoke to NewsDay yesterday, however, condemned the new curriculum saying it was meant to produce “politicised robot machines” rather than useful individuals in society.

Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe leader Obert Masaraure said the new curriculum was politicised.

 

 

“Heritage studies are a Zanu PF manifesto which is used to indoctrinate learners by sharing fictitious falsified history of heroics of the ruling party,” Masaraure said. “That is not the education we want for our children.”

Masaraure said the curriculum would produce learners averse to critical thinking.

“Unfortunately, the government has decided to just impose heritage studies as the only compulsory subject that could educate citizens on rights, duties and obligations,“ he added.

Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe president Takavafira Zhou said there was no consultation in coming up with the “politicised” curriculum.

“It is not a product of broad consultation, but imposition from above for political expediency,” Zhou said.

“It is a product of self-pollination from political players, as opposed to a healthy cross-pollination of ideas and is, therefore, weak. It is more of orienting learners to locality under the rubric of heritage, which is dangerous in a global village.”

Zhou raised dust over lack of a budget for the new curriculum.

“It will be difficult to implement just as the previous so-called updated curriculum,” he said.

“There is no clarity on how the ministry will resolve the crisis of 75% of primary and 65% of secondary schools without electricity and solar power in order to put schools at par for the introduction of ICT and science and technology.”

He said the directive lacked clear plans of building the more than 3 000 schools needed in Zimbabwe or even employing more than 50 000 teachers needed in schools.

“Without clear benchmarks and industrial hubs in schools, let alone proper infrastructure, ICT and science and technology or a budget for the Heritage-based Curriculum, it remains a pipe dream built on sandy grounds that will easily collapse,” he said.

Zhou further pointed out rudimentary shortfalls in the new curriculum such as “the absence of Agriculture at O Level but inclusion at A Level … the absence of Accounting at A Level while included at O Level”.

“In other words, there is no spiral learning in this heritage education,” he said.

Educators Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general, Tapedza Zhou, said the success of the new curriculum hinged on the government motivating teachers with good salaries.

“It goes without saying that any programme placing teachers at the pivot misses the mark well before it commences because teachers are financially, psychologically and emotionally broke,” he told NewsDay.

“Any programme heavily dependent on demotivated teachers won’t see the light of day.

“The ministry still owes teachers their monies due to failure to reimburse them in 2021 and 2022 curriculum workshops, where teachers used their own resources to attend workshops.

“The Education minister should take seriously the issue of motivation of teachers as the decisive factor upon which the successful implementation of the new Heritage-based Curriculum rests,” he added.

The post Storm brews over Heritage-based Curriculum appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

Source: The Herald – Breaking news.

 

Mr Gabriel Masvora

THE Ministry of Local Government and Public Works is still considering the re-submitted Harare City Council 2024 budget which it rejected for failing to meet required expectations, the director of communications and advocacy in the ministry, Mr Gabriel Masvora, said yesterday.

Last year, the ministry rejected the 2024 budgets for the Harare City Council and the Hwange Local Board for failing to comply with the guidelines spelt out in the recently launched local authorities’ service delivery blueprint.

President Mnangagwa launched the blueprint in November last year titled; “A Call for Action, No Compromise to Service Delivery”.

It was meant to guide local authorities’ programmes to ensure they are in line with the national vision to become an upper middle-income economy by 2030.

Mr Masvora said the Harare City Council managed to beat the April 19 deadline to re-submit the budget, and it was now being scrutinised to ascertain whether the anomalies picked in the original one were rectified.

The city council was directed to provide a satisfactory roadmap outlining when it expected to rectify the shortcomings that were identified, although it was not expected to do so overnight.

In particular, Mr Masvora said the local authority was directed to adopt the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system for managing its financial accounts, whose absence has contributed significantly to revenue leaks over the years as its accounting system is in shambles.

ERP is usually referred to as a category of business management software, typically a suite of integrated applications that an organisation can use to collect, store, manage and interpret data from many business activities.

It tracks business resources including cash, raw materials, production capacity, and the status of business commitments such as orders, purchase orders, and payroll.

The applications that make up the system share data across various departments such as manufacturing, purchasing, sales, accounting, and others.

Mr Masvora said the Ministry appreciated that some of the things expected of the local authority could not be implemented overnight, with the ERP being an example.

For example, US$20 million is required to put it in place. It is not something which you can demand to be done overnight, as it is impossible to raise that kind of money within a short period.

“That is when a roadmap is required outlining that for us to have an ERP, say in the next three years, we are setting aside so much money,” he said.

Mr Masvora said the ministry would make a public announcement on whether the revised budget had been approved, but could not give the timeline.

Last year, Parliament slammed the Harare City Council for operating without a proper accounting system for three years, which could have prejudiced it of millions of dollars.

It was noted that the local authority has been operating without a requisite accounting system since 2019 after a supplier of the ERP, Quill Associates, withdrew its software following a contractual wrangle. – New Ziana.

The post Resubmitted council budget under spotlight appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

Source: The Herald – Breaking news.

 

Mr Utloile Silaigwana

Remember Deketeke Herald Correspondent

ZANU PF’s preparations for the April 27 by-elections in Mt Pleasant and Harare East constituencies are on course with the ruling party’s candidates confident of winning, while the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has declared readiness for the polls.

In an election notice issued this week, ZEC chief elections officer Mr Utloile Silaigwana said: “Printing and Minting Company of Zimbabwe Pvt (Ltd) located at No. 1 George Drive, Msasa, Harare, was given the mandate to print ballot papers to be used for the National Assembly by-elections.

“A total of 42 300 ballot papers for Mount Pleasant Constituency and 38 850 for Harare East Constituency have been printed for the conduct of the by-elections.”

This comes after President Mnangagwa proclaimed April 27 as the date for by-elections in Mount Pleasant and Harare East constituencies following the resignation of Ms Fadzayi Mahere and Mr Norman Rusty Markham, respectively.

In Mt Pleasant constituency, Cde George Mashavave of Zanu PF will contest against independent candidates Mr Naison Mamuse and Mr Brian Ticky.

In Harare East, Cde Kiven Mutimbanyoka of Zanu PF will battle it out against Ms Ropafadzo Cythia Cheza, who is standing as an independent candidate.

Cde Mutimbanyoka said: “I am very confident and ready because we have been doing exactly what the people have asking for.

“Through Presidential schemes implemented by his Excellency we have done so much to gain the confidence of people.”

The post Harare by-elections preps on course appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

Source: The Herald – Breaking news.

 

One of the makeshift bridges across the Limpopo River that was destroyed by border patrol authorities this week. — Picture: SAPS Limpopo

Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau

Zimbabwean and South African security forces have increased patrols along the border, where illegal bridges across the Limpopo River have been destroyed, with smuggled goods into either country being seized in the past three weeks.

On the Zimbabwean side, immigration officials are cracking down on child trafficking cases with the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) tightening measures to curb import duty evasion and the smuggling of prohibited goods.

Assistant Regional Immigration Officer at Beitbridge Mrs Canisia Magaya said between March 26 and April 5, they intercepted 59 illegal immigrants at Beitbridge Border Post destined for either country.

“We are not relenting in our efforts to minimise irregular migration through the border. Of the 59 intercepted between March 26 and April 5, 28 were boys and there were 31 girls.

“In addition, seven cross border bus operators were fined for facilitating illegal migration. During the same period, we also intercepted 10 undocumented Malawians and three Congolese nationals who have been taken to court for prosecution.”

Mrs Magaya said the movement of children was common during public and school holidays in both countries.

She said the Department had deployed enough manpower along the border to curb border jumping.

“Those with kids should have requisite documents, for instance, those travelling with guardians should in addition to a valid passport, have a copy of the child’s birth certificate.

“For one parent travelling with the child, an affidavit signed by the non-travelling parent is required, together with copies of the ID/passport of the parent.

Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Malasela Ledwaba said they were conducting a high density operation dubbed “Vala Umgodi” with the help of other security agents.

He said they were targeting smugglers moving prohibited and counterfeit goods into or out of the neighbouring country.

Col Ledwaba said the smugglers in some instances were using donkey pulled carts or wood rafts and illegal bridges made from logs to move contraband.

He said between Saturday and Sunday, they arrested 25 people in connection with smuggling activities and seized goods worth thousands of rands along Limpopo River.

“The South African Police Service Border Policing Team through High Density Operation Vala Umgodi have arrested total number of 23 foreign nationals for contravention of immigration laws and subsequently seized a homemade wooden step ladder and five donkey carts on the western side of Beitbridge at Marooi area in Vhembe District between April 20 and April 21 2024,” said Col Ledwaba.

In addition, members of the border police discovered abandoned dagga worth thousands of rands weighing about 9,5kg while they were patrolling the borderline.

The post Zim, SA intensify border patrols appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

Source: The Herald – Breaking news.

 

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