Source: Zim shifts from exam-based education – herald
Conrad Mupesa
Mashonaland West Bureau
ZIMBABWE has taken a deliberate and transformative stance towards education, shifting from an exam-driven system to one focused on skills development and lifelong learning, Primary and Secondary Education Deputy Minister Angeline Gata has said.
She made the remarks on Tuesday when Zimbabwe joined the rest of the world in commemorating the International Day of Education at Chinhoyi Technical High School in Chinhoyi.
Observed annually on January 24 and celebrated globally by UNESCO, this year’s commemorations ran under the theme, “The Power of Youth in Co-Creating Education.”
The event brought together Government officials, education stakeholders, school heads, development partners and learners, who showcased products and innovations developed under Zimbabwe’s Heritage-Based Education 5.0 model.
“Education has transformed to giving skills rather than just testing, thereby equipping our children with lifelong competencies,” she said.
Deputy Minister Gata urged learners to invest in practical and digital skills, emphasising that the modern economy rewards innovation and adaptability.
“Skills pay, so make sure you invest in them. Support each other as learners and avoid bullying. When young people are given a genuine seat at the table to contribute meaningfully, they do not just participate they transform,” she said.
She added that the 2026 theme recognised pupils and youth as stakeholders with agency.
“When the youth are involved in shaping the curriculum and school governance, they develop a sense of ownership that drives academic excellence. This participatory approach aligns with the philosophy of Ubuntu/unhu, emphasising communal growth and mutual responsibility. It reminds us that the future of education is not just about the youth, but with the youth.”
Deputy Minister Gata noted that for many years, education systems worldwide were designed for young people without fully listening to them hence co-creating education meant involving young people in shaping policies that affect their learning, listening to their voices when designing curricula, empowering them to innovate and providing solutions.
Learners were encouraged to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation in education.
“We are living in an era defined by rapid technological change, artificial intelligence, climate challenges and global interconnectedness. Our education system must promote digital literacy and innovation, encourage critical thinking and problem-solving, foster entrepreneurship, strengthen values of integrity and citizenship and equip pupils not just for employment but for lifelong learning. The integration of technology is no longer an option but a necessity for modern pedagogy,” she said.
Mashonaland West Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Marian Chombo, said the theme was a necessary mandate for transformation.
“This year’s theme calls for a shift from seeing our children and youth as passive recipients of knowledge to recognising them as active architects of their own learning journey,” she said.
Minister Chombo said Mashonaland West was committed to creating an enabling environment for youth participation in education.
“Our provincial leadership, under the Second Republic, is deeply committed to creating an enabling environment for this co-creation. We are investing in infrastructure, promoting digital literacy and supporting programmes that keep learners, especially girl children, in school.
“The partnerships we see here today, between my Ministry, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, CAMFED, ECOZI and our communities, are the backbone of this mission,” she said.
She challenged learners to fully embrace platforms that amplify their voices, calling on educators and officials to institutionalise youth participation in decision-making structures.
“Our role is to listen, to facilitate and to create the channels for this dialogue to become embedded practice. Let us be bold in inviting youth to the planning table in our schools, districts and provincial forums. Mashonaland West stands ready to be a model province in operationalising this theme, turning the power of youth into tangible programmes and policies,” she said.
Child president, and Chinhoyi Technical High School learner, Lionnel Mazarire called for learners throughout the country to embrace the digital technology that is being made possible by the Government through rolling out of Starlink kits and gadgets.
“This is our time, lets use the knowledge to present solutions to the challenges facing the nation. We should also be mindful of using the internet wisely and at the same time desist from taking drugs,” the child president said.
Muzarire said that young people were ready to co-create an inclusive, relevant and innovation-driven education system.
Solidarity messages were delivered by stakeholders in the education sector with National Association of Secondary School Heads (NASH) representative Mr Blazio Chigwa saying secondary schools would continue preparing learners for the demands of the modern world through innovation and skills-based learning.
Mashonaland West National Association of Primary School Heads (NAPH) chairperson Mr Amon Mlilo said the association stood with the global community in recognising education as a fundamental human right for every child.
“As an association, we stand together with the global community to commemorate this important day, which affirms the fundamental right of every learner to access education. We remain committed to talent development, lobbying for increased funding for primary education, improving pass rates and advocating for an education system that addresses the needs of learners,” he said.
Education Coalition of Zimbabwe (ECOZI) representatives said education remained the cornerstone of hope for a brighter future.
“We believe education is the cornerstone and hope for a brighter future for learners. We recognise the efforts by Government and other players that have ensured that every learner is incorporated into the system,” the organisation said.
The commemorations reaffirmed Zimbabwe’s commitment to inclusive, quality and relevant education, anchored on empowering young people to become architects of their own learning and drivers of national development.
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