'Nothing wrong with CALA'

THE new Primary and Secondary Education minister, Torerayi Moyo has said there is nothing wrong with learners doing the Continuous Assessment of Learning Activities (CALA) adding that the way they are conducted in schools is, however, problematic.

Moyo was speaking to journalists after taking his oath of office at the State House on Tuesday.

CALA refers to various learning activities or assessments that require students to conduct detailed research-based activities in specific areas where they incorporate practical activities such as data collection through interviews, questionnaires, checklists, observations and experiments.

Parents and guardians have been pushing the government to scrap the CALA component in the school curriculum as it is burdensome and expensive thereby excluding learners from poor families.

The Education Minister said there is a need for teachers to receive training on how to manage the assessment better.

He said: "There is nothing wrong with CALA but the manner in which it is handled is a problem. Our teachers must go for in-service training so that they manage projects that students are doing."

CALA is a revolution from the traditional knowledge-based final examination model to a competency-based exit profile evaluation for Grade Seven, O-Level and A-Level learners.

Added Moyo: "Also we need to consider whether the students do have resources at their disposal because CALA involves a lot of research and do they have laptops, iPads, or smartphones so that they are able to conduct CALA but I think the general sentiment among parents is that they want CALAs to be reduced.

"So we are going to look at the recommendations that were done by stakeholders then we come up with a position".