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Ivan Zhakata

Herald Correspondent

THE Botswana government is working on tapping into the Zimbabwean curriculum to improve it through implementing vocational and practical subjects. 

Speaking during a tour of local secondary schools in Harare yesterday, Botswana Minister of Basic Education Mr Fidelis Molao said they were in the process of changing their curriculum to infuse the practical and vocational aspect. 

Minister Molao said they do not have practical and vocational subjects in Botswana and implementing them will help in improving their curriculum. 

The tours covered classes which do practical subjects among them, Fashion and Fabrics, Fisheries, Poultry, Rabbit Rearing, Metal and Wood Technology, and Food and Nutrition. 

“We want to learn from our sister country, Zimbabwe that is why we are here to appreciate how they have been doing it so that we can tap from their experience and their knowledge,” he said. 

“We have another part of my delegation who are busy somewhere else where we are looking for experts, curriculum experts specially who can assist us in turning around our curriculum in the direction that we want to infuse the theory and the practical for our learners, to impact practical skills, survival skills that they can use out there in the market, whether in the job market or survival on their own. 

“It is something that has been lacking in our curriculum. It is unfortunate that we did not have much time but what I have seen is quite impressive. Students are producing their own face masks which something we have been unable to do as a country but it is something that is doable and they are making use of the Covid-19 scourge to produce for themselves which comes out more convenient and cheaper for the school community.” 

Minister Molao said the Zimbabwean curriculum provides a lot that they will copy and carry home with. “At the fish pond, it is something that we will copy and carry home so we can grow our own fish and take to the market and generate income for learners and the school for the better management of our school systems. It is quite impressive what young children can do when given the right guidance and the right school within where they attend schools so I am very happy to be here.” Primary and Secondary Education Minister Cain Mathema said Zimbabwe and Botswana shared a lot of things as they share borders and were also both members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). 

“We share so much and we are really one people. We have a lot to learn from each other. 

In the education sector we want to learn from Botswana as well because the minister and I agreed and our Presidents obviously agree that our children as learners have to be equipped as future citizens who do things for themselves because our countries are so rich naturally and in terms of human resources. 

“We are looking for some experts to go to Botswana. It would be very lovely to twin our schools with those in Botswana so that we learn from each other. The whole African Union we want one economy we want one traffic system we want one cultural heritage point of view we are facing one direction all of us together walking together so we have no alternative but to work together. Our people have always shared and we have always been one people,” he said.