By Anna Chibamu
PARLIAMENTARIANS have urged government to drop the education curriculum Continuous Assessment Learning Activities (CALA) describing it as unrealistic considering Zimbabwe’s educational standards.
During an appraisal of the CALA review by Primary and Secondary Education officials to the Education Portfolio Parliamentary committee on Tuesday, MPs said CALA there was no meaningful benefit to the intended beneficiaries.
“As parents, we wish the best for our children but on the CALA curriculum, we are rushing to introduce a lot of things without analysing other important issues.
“The introduction of CALA was done in 2019, just a year before the Covid -19 outbreak. Teachers were not taught how to teach and mark CALA subjects. Our children were now being abused by teachers,” MP Spiwe Muchaneta Muchenje said.
She added, “CALA is a burden to parents. It is a lot of work which the students have failed to cope with. In the review, I want the ministry to reduce its workload.”
RELATED: Curriculum review consultations draw fire; parents, teachers demand CALA scrapping
Chegutu West MP Dexter Nduna requested to know the relationship between CALA and Education 5.1 and why children were failing after the introduction of CALA.
“Are extra lessons a result of the introduction of CALA? Why are children not passing exams? Do they only pass after having extra lessons after school?
“When we grew up, we were doing just two subjects but now, my children bring nine subjects each. In rural areas, there is no computerization. What are you doing to enhance CALA in these areas?” Nduna said.
Bikita East legislator Johnson Madhuku said there was duplication of some skills in CALA, adding there was no reason to labour learners with a lot of work.
“There is no need for many CALAs in every learning area. Let us have only one CALA in each learning area. What skills are they getting from all these activities?” Madhuku stated.
The MP urged the authorities to consider input from parents before the final public consultations to be carried out soon.
Primary and Secondary Education ministry official Cyprian Masocha said the curriculum review is currently taking place and officials are sharing ongoing processes on the competency-based framework.
CALA was recently heavily criticized by most parents during school consultations.
Masocha added the review is expected to be complete by December 31 in preparation for next year’s school calendar.
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