THE government has said the fate of the Continuous Assessment Learning Activities (Cala) curriculum will be determined at a Cabinet meeting in February.
Primary and Secondary Education minister Torerai Moyo told journalists on Wednesday that his ministry was studying the report from the nationwide consultations done in May.
“We now have the final product and what remains is to take the results to Cabinet on February 6 where a decision will be made,” Moyo said.
If the ministry were to be honest, the message from the submissions was clear: Cala must go.
No learner, parent or guardian will support a policy that is foisted on them. There was zero consultation before Cala was introduced. It took more than two years for the government to heed the concerns of the learners.
Under the Cala system, students’ physical and behavioural skills are assessed continuously through coursework to contribute 30% to their final marks.
Summative or knowledge skills assessed during examinations contribute 70% to the candidate’s final grade.
Under the system, leaners are supposed to research and sometimes required to use the internet which is beyond the reach for most students.
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There were also concerns that no training was ever done prior to its introduction, while it is also financially demanding.
The Cala system has seen an exodus of students from government to private schools as they ditch Zimsec in favour of Cambridge examinations. While this comes at a cost, parents and guardians have made sacrifices to run away from the hurdles of Cala.
Ministers and senior government officials have the luxury to enrol their children abroad or at private schools where Cala does not exist. If they are uncomfortable with the system they have established, whose children must learn under that dispensation?
Cala, which was introduced in 2021, has been condemned by teachers and parents as it burdens the learners and comes at an extra cost to parents and guardians as they must source materials for projects.
We have seen some “enterprising” teachers charging students so that they do Cala on their behalf. This has come as an extra cost to parents or guardians who are also paying for extra lessons to motivate the teacher to go the extra mile.
Where students were supposed to make drums, parents went to Mbare Musika to buy the required drums so that the learners comply with the requirements. In that case, did Cala help, or it was a question of fulfilling a fixture?
There were concerns that Cala would have been helpful had the government concentrated on science, technology engineering and mathematics subjects.
When the world is moving towards technology parents found it unhelpful for students to spend hours researching on rainmaking ceremonies or kurova guva.
The assignments also clashed with religious beliefs.
Moyo said on Wednesday: “So whether Cala will go or stay, or there are going to be some changes by either realigning it or removing it totally, that will happen before February 28.”
A consultative process must be done before the government changes the curriculum.
As the minister waits to present the recommendations to Cabinet in February, we reiterate that Cala must go.
