Dokora speaks on Chinese, Swahili

Primary and Secondary Education minister Lazarus Dokora told Parliament yesterday that the teaching of foreign languages under the proposed draft curriculum review would be optional.

In a ministerial statement addressed to both Houses of Parliament, Dokora said the government was still committed to introducing more local languages into the education system with 250 teachers already being trained at Great Zimbabwe University to teach Tonga, Nambya, Shangani and Venda.

His statement came after MPs grilled him over the decision to introduce foreign languages such as Swahili, French, Portuguese and Chinese in the school curriculum at a time most local languages were not being taught in schools.

The draft framework for primary and secondary schools will guide learning and teaching during the next seven years and it will include expression to national efforts as reflected in ZimAsset, the Constitution, regional and international treaties to which the country is signatory, and generate views and suggestions collected during the nationwide consultations.