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Herbert Zisengwe
Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Professor Paul Mavima commended parents at David Livingstone Primary School for their continued support of the Presidential computerisation programme as witnessed by their sourcing of 60 desktop computers and six laptops for teachers.

This was during the official opening of a new classroom block and annual prize giving day at the school recently.

Professor Mavima said, “I congratulate the parents and stakeholders of David Livingstone Primary School for providing a total of 60 computers for learners and six laptops for teachers”.

He said he took serious note of the theme which was “Enhancing teaching through technologies of the 21st century”.

He said the theme was in line with Zim-Asset’s thrust of main streaming information and communication technologies into sectors of the economy.

The Deputy Minister noted that the theme also spoke to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education’s policy position on the application of ICTs for enhanced teaching and learning.

Professor Mavima highlighted the vision of main streaming ICTs in education by reminding parents of President Robert Mugabe’s computerisation programme for schools.

“The vision that inspired this programme was to equip all learners with 21st century skills through computer literacy and access to wider research sources for school projects and assignments,” he said.

He said that to date 870 schools had benefited with an average of 10 computers per school.

“Through this programme, sets of computers have been donated to 870 secondary schools at an average of 10 per school,” he said.

He expressed gratitude to other stakeholders who had taken lead from President Mugabe’s programme and contributed more such equipment to schools.

Professor Mavima also spoke about the new curriculum blueprint in which he specified that various subjects had been organised into learning areas at primary level.

In the infant school module, which caters for ECD A,:ECD B,:Grade 1 and Grade 2. There are seven learning areas namely, Indigenous Languages, Visual and Performing Arts, Maths and Science, Physical Education, Mass Displays, Social Studies and ICT.

He said learners proceed to junior education for Grade 3-7 in which there are nine learning areas which are Languages, Mathematics, Social Studies, Science and Technology, Agriculture, ICT, Visual and Performing Arts, Family, Religion and Moral Education, Physical Education, Sport and Mass Displays.

Professor Mavima pointed out the need to emphasise adoption of ICTs early in the learning process.

“As you can see, the new curriculum requires that ICTs be taught from ECD A, not later,” he said.

He highlighted five pillars that underpin the new curriculum which he said were the legal framework, teacher capacity development, teacher professional standards, infrastructure development and the centre for educational research and innovation development.

He said this after commissioning a new state-of-the-art six-block classroom amid pomp and funfair that was punctuated with amazing ululation by guests, parents and pupils.

Professor Mavima commended construction of the classroom block as he said that it would decongest the learning space at the mega school which takes more than 2 300.

His sentiments were echoed by the school’s Head, Mr N Ndhlela, who said David Livingstone was one of the provincial mega schools and it was imperative that the prize giving day be split into two sections.

“David Livingstone Jnr is one of the mega schools in the province. With such a big number, it was imperative to split the school into two sections for prize giving,” he said.

It was song, dance and fun as the Deputy Minister had a photo session with a talented group of David Livingstone School traditional dancers who won themselves Kwayedza prizes courtesy of Zimpapers in a drive to promote language.

Many pupils went away with prizes from different sponsors for excelling in different disciplines.