Teachers petition Mugabe

THE Progressive Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) is seeking 500 000 signatures from its members to petition President Robert Mugabe and Parliament to stop the implementation of the new curriculum introduced by Education minister Lazarus Dokora.

Dokora, in January this year, introduced a new curriculum in the primary and secondary education system "without" consulting teachers and other stakeholders.

The curriculum, among other subjects, introduced the writing of dissertations by Form Four students and mandated them to go for industrial attachment. It also did away with subjects such as geography, while bringing in mass displays.

Also introduced was sexual reproductive health studies in primary schools.

PTUZ president, Takavafira Zhou told NewsDay yesterday that their members met in Harare last week and resolved to petition Mugabe over the issue.

"We are taking a multi-pronged approach to stop the implementation of the new curriculum in its present form. Our Thursday meeting agreed on four areas we should pursue to stop the implementation of this new curriculum," he said.

"On Monday (today) we will start delivering our petitions to Parliament and the Office of the President, advising them to help in putting a stop to the haphazard implementation of this new policy without adequate resources being put in place."

The four options being pursued by the teachers are the legal route to challenge implementation of the policy in its current form; petition Parliament that they cause the stopping of the implementation of the new curriculum; petition the President to stop the implementation of the policy and to mobilise teachers to refuse teaching the new curriculum until the issues are addressed.

"We already have a wasted term as both the pupils and teachers are not aware specifically of what is required of them in the new curriculum," Zhou said.

Teachers said they were not given enough time to scheme and understand the new curriculum.