CIRCULAR LETTER No. 5 OF 21 JANUARY 2015 CIRCULATION NATIONAL EXECUTIVE MEMBERS PROVINCIAL EXECUTIVE MEMBERS DISTRICT AND BRANCH EXECUTIVE MEMBERS SUBJECT DISCUSSIONS WITH THE MINISTER OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION DR. LAZARUS DOKORA 1.0 INTRODUCTION As part of a continuing consultative process, today 21 January 2015, we met the Minister for Primary and Secondary Education. This was a bilateral meeting with the Minister which discussed issues raised by the ZIMTA National Executive meeting of 6 January 2015. The issues discussed were Teacher Capacity Building, Curriculum Review, Teacher Assessment and Disgruntlement as a result of conditions of service. 2.0 TEACHER CAPACITY BUILDING 2.1 ZIMTA raised issues that arose during the implementation of phase one (1) of the Teacher Capacity Building programme. 2.1.1 Self-initiated studies that were compatible with Ministry’s mission and interest were overlooked for financial assistance consideration. 2.1.2 Some school administrators constricted numbers of applications by their teachers, by limiting or denying teachers opportunity to apply. 2.2 Ministry explained some of the processes it had started that enhance implementation of the program as follows. 2.2.1 The programme is structured to run for ten (10) years after which period it could have saturated the education system with requisite skills. 2.2.2 The Teacher Capacity Development (TCD) programme is anchored on the new curriculum, hence it aims to make teachers relevant. 2.2.3 A total of two thousand two hundred (2200) teachers were enrolled in the first phase of the program. Some Universities have two intakes per year. 2.2.4 Two major criteria were used to accept applicants; • Desire by the applicant to learn. • Study has to be in the area of interest to the Ministry. 2.2.5 Areas of interest to the Ministry were a) Indigenous languages and sign language b) Science and Mathematics c) I.C.T and Management d) Curriculum studies e) Educational planning 2.2.6 The studies are carried out on a block release basis and Ministry has moved in to unblock the provisions in Statutory Instrument 1 of 2000 on Manpower Development Leave to accommodate emerging problems that seemed to dis-incentivise applicants. This unblocking will include re-alignment of age, qualifications and other forces that frustrate participation. 2.2.7 Eight Doctoral candidates will be enrolled, in the meantime Ministry is assembling Professors who will lead in this programme. 3.0 CURRICULUM REVIEW PROCESS 3.1 The review process helped to update the 1999 Commission of Inquiry into Education and Training (CIET), popularly known as the Nziramasanga Report. 3.2 The review process took note of the fact that since 1999 there had been selective application of the recommendations and general lack of understanding of the two pathway concept. 3.3 ZIMTA observed that while the discussions and interview processes were at school level, a feeling of inequity and unfair treatment was introduced when some officers at school level were paid allowances while others were denied the same. Ministry noted this and promised to investigate. 3.4 A total of eight hundred thousand (800 000) participants were recorded and the draft report is expected to be ready by March 2015. 4.0 STUDENT ASSESSMENT 4.1 Ministry reported that ZIMSEC was ready to implement new assessment techniques that will be in sync with the curriculum. 4.2 Continuous assessment, is being considered so that the end results also take into account course work performance. 4.3 On the security of examinations, the Ministry indicated that it was pursuing the issue of Norton Printing Press so that it is funded sufficiently and that ZIMSEC can take charge of the printing and distribution of papers. 4.4 The other issue on assessment was to ensure that professionals are engaged to run the education system and this should be linked to teacher professional standards. 4.5 Ministry was in agreement with ZIMTA on the need to establish a Teaching Professions Council or at the least a Teaching Services Board. This will help in weeding out unprofessional elements that have been associated with discredited actions. A proposal was made to initiate this process through the route of the Education Act realignment process and relevant statutory instruments. Signed Ndlovu Sifiso CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Posted on: Tue, 27 Jan 2015 07:19:02 +0000
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