TV lessons for primary pupils

THE Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education in conjunction with UNICEF has rolled out the first phase of television lessons as part of the alternative learning platform for primary school pupils.

The programme, which started on Monday, is targeting pupils in Grade 3 and 7 and will run until June 5, 2021. The 15-minute lessons are being aired on ZBC national television between Monday and Friday.

Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education spokesperson Mr Taungana Ndoro said the programme is aimed at enhancing their blended learning strategies.

"The television lessons are part of the alternative learning platform to enhance our blended learning strategies. As Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, we intend to reach to learners by introducing TV lessons to complement the radio lessons," he said.

Mr Ndoro said the programme is in response to the prolonged closure of schools due to Covid-19. According to the schedule on Mondays and Tuesdays, English lessons for Grade Three pupils are aired between 3PM and 3.15PM.

On Wednesdays and Thursdays, the programme caters for Grade Seven classes for Mathematics lessons between 3PM and 3.15PM. On Fridays, English lessons are aired for Grade Seven classes. There are more than 4,6 million learners in Zimbabwe and nearly 140 000 teachers.

Mr Ndoro said the ministry in conjunction with ZBC, UNICEF and FACT Zimbabwe has also released the seventh schedule of radio lessons from early childhood development (ECD) to Zimbabwe Junior Certificate (ZJC) level under the third phase of the programme, which runs until May 7, 2021. Thereafter another schedule will be released.

"Parents, guardians and teachers are advised to familiarise themselves with the schedule so that they may assist learners as much as possible," he said.

Mr Ndoro said the radio lessons are key in terms of ensuring that rural learners and those who are from poor background are not left behind in terms of access to education.

Last year in June, Government launched the indigenous languages' radio lessons programme for ECD, primary and secondary school classes in response to the closure of schools due to Covid-19.

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education engaged external assessors and subjects' specialists from a pool of teachers from various schools in Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South provinces.

The ministry is targeting to have radio lessons aired in all the languages spoken in Zimbabwe. The programme seeks to cover all the learning areas of ECD using indigenous languages as media of instruction and lesson delivery.

Primary and Secondary Education Minister Cain Mathema said the country's educational curriculum has taken cognisance of the language gaps hence indigenous languages were now taught from infant through to secondary school. He said indigenous languages are the most valuable, rich and prestigious means of communication as they also embrace cultural heritage and define the nation.

Minister Mathema said the indigenous language syllabi are meant to provide basic foundation for the development of language skills and enhancing effective communication as well as enhancing the values of ubuntu.

The indigenous languages' radio lessons programme is being spearheaded by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education in partnership with the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services.

Zimpapers, Skyz Metro FM and AB Communications are also partnering in the programme.