Zimpapers Logo

Dr Utete-Masango

Samantha Chigogo Herald Correspondent
Greystone Primary School was on Monday awarded the prestigious Secretary’s Merit Award for Harare Province for outstanding achievements in the provision of quality and relevant education.

The school, which has never won the award since its establishment in 1975, came first in Harare Metropolitan Province against 266 primary schools, receiving a cash prize of $5 000 and a plaque.

Speaking during the ceremony, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Dr Sylvia Utete-Masango hailed the school for taking the lead in the successful implementation of new curriculum policy requirements.

“This school has been conferred this honour because it is offering a wide range of practical subjects that include Computer Science for all grades, Agriculture, Home Economics, Art, Physical Education, Music, Visual and Performing Arts,” she said.

“Such curriculum initiatives help to produce well rounded learners who are capable of contributing meaningfully to the social and economic development of the country.”

Dr Utete-Masango also officially opened a newly-built Early Childhood Development (ECD) block at the school.

“In the new curriculum, we have scraped Grade Zero and replaced it with the infant school (ECD A and ECD B) and, it shall be compulsory to all children,” she said.

“Primary education now consists of nine years and we need to adapt to modern ways of primary learning in schools.”

Dr Utete-Masango said the ministry would continue strengthening the teaching of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics, Vocational, Heritage studies and humanities.

“Our curriculum is all encompassing. Let other children excel in other avenues like sports, music and art amongst other things that they can use to make an economic turnaround,” she said.

“Music and sports are not extra curriculum activities. They are part and parcel of the curriculum and the syllabus is already there hence it is important to give precedence to that.

I challenge you to go further in developing sportspersons who can compete at national, regional and international level.”

Dr Utete-Masango said the ministry was engaging in a vigorous infrastructure development, teacher capacity development and teacher professional standards in a move to narrow student to teacher ratios and erase all hot sitting sessions in schools.

She said to enhance a holistic curriculum, which equips learners with relevant knowledge and robust skills for self-empowerment, driving lessons would soon be considered in the curriculum as other schools in Matabeleland had already adopted the practice.