By FLAVIOR CHISHALA –
EDUCATION, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education Minister John Phiri yesterday launched the Revised School Curriculum under the theme ‘Empowering learners by putting theory into practice’.
Dr Phiri said the revised curriculum, which would be implemented in four phases, was in line with the Patriotic Front (PF) manifesto on equal access to education, implementation of a comprehensive education system, and improving quality and relevance of education.
The manifesto also stresses the review of trained teachers’ deployment and conditions of service, as well as to review the language of instruction policy.
The minister explained that the phases for the implementation of the new curriculum would start later this month from early childhood education through to grades one, five and 10.
The other grades to follow in 2015 include grades two, six, nine, 11 and adult literacy that would be followed by grades three, seven and 12 in 2016. The last grade would be grade four in 2017.
He said the first examination based on the new curriculum would be administered at grade nine level in 2015, followed by grade seven and 12 examinations in 2016.
Dr Phiri was speaking at the official launch of the Revised School Curriculum held at Munali Boys Secondary School in Lusaka yesterday.
He said for the past 49 years of Zambia’s independence, there had been loud voices of dissatisfaction over the education being given to the children in Zambia.
Some stakeholders have criticised the current curriculum, saying it was overloaded, not flexible and that it does not take into consideration the emerging changes in terms of technology and social development issues such as life skills, sexuality, financial and entrepreneurship.
Speaking at the same event, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) chief communications manager Patrick Slavin congratulated the ministry for successfully carrying out a comprehensive curriculum review process.
Mr Slavin said the cooperating partners, including UNICEF, Japan International Cooperation Agency and United States Agency for International Development, had pledged to work with the ministry to ensure that the curriculum achieved its intended goals.
