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Prof Mavima

Elita Chikwati Senior Reporter
Government has said teachers and learners need to be given the capacity to facilitate the smooth implementation of the new curriculum, which is critical in ensuring that the education sector contributes to the turnaround of the country’s economy, a Cabinet Minister has said. Primary and Secondary Education Minister Professor Paul Mavima said this on Monday on the sidelines of a one-day meeting chaired by the permanent secretary in his ministry, Dr Sylvia Utete Masango.

The meeting was attended by provincial education directors from the country’s 10 provinces, district schools inspectors and education inspectors — key officials who are responsible for supervising schools.

Prof Mavima said Government would forge ahead with the implementation of the new curriculum through resolving some of the challenges being experienced in its implementation, mobilising resources, training teachers and delivering learning materials. He said teachers and students would be capacitated and continuously assessed with assistance from stakeholders to ensure smooth implementation of the programme.

“We want the new curriculum to be effectively implemented because it is the basis upon which we can transform this country by creating a human capital that is oriented towards that transformation — socially, politically and economically,” Prof Mavima.

“We want to move this country from a country that uses basic technology to a country that is industrialised and mechanised in all the production areas, and the solution is the new curriculum.” Challenges that were being experienced, he said, would not stop the implementation of the new curriculum. Challenges are not sufficient for us to abandon the curriculum,” said Prof Mavima.

“We have to deal with them. The secretary and I, we have the responsibility to continue mobilising resources to implement the curriculum. This forum is a forum where we are reinforcing our administrators to understanding the new curriculum so that they have the motivation to deliver.” Prof Mavima proposed establishing a science and technology hub in every district to cater for learners aged between 15 and 18. “I may get the first five hubs this side of the year and will use existing schools as the locations for these hubs,” he said.

Government has acquired teaching and learning material worth $9 million, which will be distributed soon. Dr Utete Masango said Monday’s meeting was meant to establish an effective communication strategy on the implementation of the new curriculum. “We want to make sure we have a shared vision, communicate the same message, for all of us to be able to buy into the education transformation,” she said.

“Everyone should been taken on board. It is not only the technocrats; we are also looking at our supporting staff: how much do they know about the new curriculum? They need to be aware of the direction that the ministry is taking.” Dr Utete Masango said the ministry had come up with quick-wins on the implementation of the new curriculum.

“The meeting was also expected to come up with modalities of implementation to ensure that we meet the deadlines we set for ourselves,” he said.