Story by Luis Nhika
THE Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has taken a major step to ensure that learners pursuing international qualifications remain connected to Zimbabwe’s cultural heritage, history, and indigenous languages.
The move follows a high-level engagement between Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Honourable Angeline Gata, Cambridge International Education CEO, Peter Phillips, and stakeholders in the education sector.
The discussions are aimed at aligning Cambridge examinations with Zimbabwe’s Heritage-Based Curriculum.
The talks focused on incorporating Zimbabwe’s 16 indigenous languages into the Cambridge curriculum, as well as introducing Zimbabwean Heritage Studies and Zimbabwean History as examinable subjects.
“That is a great move because at the end of the day, one needs to have an identity as well as represent his or her own culture. This initiative is important so that Cambridge students are not left behind,” Sub-Saharan Africa International Education, Cambridge University Press and AssessmentManaging Director, Louise Hendey said.
“The move is designed to ensure that learners enrolled under the Cambridge system are not left behind in appreciating their cultural roots and national values despite studying an internationally recognised curriculum,” Honourable Gata said.
The initiative marks a significant milestone in ensuring that international education offered in Zimbabwe reflects the country’s cultural heritage, preserves indigenous languages, and equips learners with knowledge that promotes national development, leaving no one and no place behind.
