The prolonged COVID 19 induced lockdown and closure of schools has caused chaos in the implementation of the new school curriculum, leaving many children without access to education.
Schools which were supposed to reopen in July have remained closed after President Emmerson Mnangagwa reviewed lockdown procedures to level 4, effectively extending the closure of schools by over 2 weeks.
Many schools have been struggling to ensure pupils remain abreast with their education as switching from conventional to online learning continues to present problems.
Students who are set to sit for their national examinations this year are now deeply concerned they will fail.
“It is hard for most of us to attend online lessons as we lack mobile gadgets and data constraints yet we have to sit for exams. I am so worried about this year’s exams because am still behind with the curriculum but the exam knows nothing about that,” Tatenda Shavi an “O” Level student said.
Tag a life International through its arm Every Child In School (ECIS) Program, has joined teachers, pupils and parents in raising concern over the interruption of learning and failure by government to ensure that every child accesses education.
Tag a Life has even petitioned parliament of Zimbabwe demanding the inclusion of disadvantaged children in online education.
Government introduced a new evaluation process in the 2018 school curriculum, which involves two continuous assessments of learners by teachers but these have been rendered useless owing to school closures.
Teachers who spoke on condition they are not named said subjects such as Physical Education, Agriculture and sciences which can only be effectively taught in physical sessions have suffered heavily.
“Subjects such as Agriculture which requires learner’s to be in touch with their communities through carrying out practical sessions could not be done in this covid period, therefore the examination and marking scheme in line with the continuous assessment requirement is being disrupted,” said a teacher.
In a recently published report by the teachers union Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, (ARTUZ), said urgent amendment should be done around the continuous assessment to meet current challenges.
By Deon T Chitembwe