Private schools embrace heritage-based education, anti-drugs campaigns

Several privately-owned schools in Harare have described heritage-based educational curriculum as the best foundation and template for sustainability through skills identification, audit and development whilst concurrently fostering critical thinking and teamwork amongst learners.

Speaking to Bulawayo24.com during the ongoing independent curriculum adoption, preparedness and implementation responsiveness assessment amongst private schools, prestigious Focus Academy's (a boarding school based in Waterfalls, Harare) spokesperson, Ms Rumbidzai Musikambesa claims her school has endorsed heritage-based education as the ideal curriculum policy capable of enriching learners and the country at large with sustainable knowledge and skills.

"The heritage-based education is premised on elements which seek to empower learners from grassroots, that is, early childhood development, primary, secondary, vocational and tertiary levels, solely with the intention to bring about positive change amongst communities. This would therefore help in grooming the next generation enriched with skills and prerequisites for the country's sustainable development," Musikambesa said.

"As private players in education, we see it important to embrace this policy since it complements development amongst communities, leaving no-one and no place behind. It therefore bridges the gaps between rural and urban communities, which in turn bring inclusivity into major play," Musikambesa added.

"We have also noted that it is the best template for educational development and country at large. It brings in various aspects of skills including indirect audit, identification and development," Musikambesa noted.

Meanwhile, Focus Academy has intensified its commitment to fight drugs and substance abuse within institutions of primary and secondary learning environments.

"It is the duty of private schools to complement the government's efforts to fight drugs and substance abuse scourge. We have launched various programmes and platforms which equip learners with skills to bring change amongst peers in various communities on how to fight drugs," Musikambesa disclosed.

"These youths who are most vulnerable to drugs and substance abuse are then trained as anti-drugs ambassadors who will be responsible for rehabilitation, reintegration and abstinence from abusing such. We have anti-drugs and substance abuse ambassadors within and outside school, who help other vulnerable peers amongst various communities to get out of drugs scourge," Musikambesa said.

"So during holidays when they are off school campus, we urge them to continue to engage other peers in fighting the scourge. We have also crafted and provide opportunity for them to engage in roles plays, dramas and story-telling activities as a means to campaign against abusing drugs and substances," Musikambesa added.

Afro-Bank Christian High School founder, Mr Ruzai Machaurawa claimed that their major priority during term is to make sure that learners are introduced to education meant to transform various communities throughout the country.

"We are targeting to provide education to learners premised on projects and practicals which compliment communities demands. Heritage-based education will be our major thrust where we compliment the government's educational policy initiatives," Muchaurawa said.

"We will also be targeting to nurture learners with basic mechanisms which enable them to join vocational training institutions to acquire necessary skills as espoused in the country National Development Strategies prerequisites," Muchaurawa added.

The heritage-based curriculum is designed to foster critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork among learners. It is set to equip students with essential skills to navigate the challenges of a rapidly evolving world.

Zimbabwe's Primary and Secondary Education Minister, Torerai Moyo (then), emphasised the significance of the curriculum.

"Another milestone that we have achieved as a ministry is to review the competence-based curriculum and introduce the Heritage-Based Curriculum. We want learners to have a deep understanding of their heritage, and their surroundings so that they can identify challenges they face at home, schools, and communities," Minister Moyo said then.

"They can then do research based on the problem and try to proffer solutions through the power of digital tools," Moyo added.

Minister Moyo also highlighted that the Government is committed to enhancing educational experiences through the establishment of innovation hubs in schools, aimed at equipping students with 21st-century skills necessary for innovation and technological advancement.