Heritage Curriculum faces first major test

ZIMBABWE'S third school term this year will carry particular significance as learners sit national examinations under the Heritage-Based Curriculum for the first time.

Primary and Secondary Education Minister Torerayi Moyo said the examination cycle should therefore not be treated as an ordinary term, but as an important milestone in assessing how the new curriculum is translating into practical competencies, knowledge, values and skills among learners.

Speaking to Matabeleland North school heads at Coalfields Primary School in Hwange on Friday, Minister Moyo said the examinations would provide substantive evidence on the implementation of the Heritage-Based Curriculum.

"The successful implementation of a heritage-based curriculum cannot be measured solely by examination performance. It must also be reflected in the learner's ability to think critically, communicate effectively, solve problems, innovate, collaborate, create and apply knowledge to real-life circumstances.

"I therefore expect every school head to approach this term with exceptional professional discipline," he said.

Minister Moyo said schools should ensure that teaching remained purposeful, while assessment and monitoring of learners continued throughout the term.

He urged school heads to use evidence to identify learners who were progressing, those falling behind and the areas where additional support was required.

"Teaching must be purposeful, assessment must be continuous, learner progress must be monitored systematically and interventions must be informed by evidence," he said.

The Minister also emphasised the need to maintain high standards of integrity during the national examinations, warning that the credibility of Zimbabwe's assessment system depended on examinations being conducted securely, fairly and in accordance with established requirements.

"These examinations must be managed with the highest standards of integrity and professionalism. The credibility of our assessment system depends upon the confidence that examinations are administered securely, fairly and in accordance with established requirements," he said.

Minister Moyo commended school heads for what he described as their vigilance in managing national examinations during his three years in office.

He said examinations had been conducted without leakages, describing this as a significant achievement in protecting the integrity of the country's assessment system.

"Examination integrity is not merely an administrative responsibility but is a matter of national trust," he said.

The Minister's remarks come as schools prepare for the first national examination cycle under the Heritage-Based Curriculum, placing increased focus on whether the education system is producing learners equipped not only to perform academically, but also to apply knowledge and skills to real-life situations.