Story by Fungai Jachi
THE 2026 school calendar officially opened this Tuesday, with schools across Zimbabwe commencing teaching and learning under the full roll-out of the Heritage-Based Curriculum (HBC), as examination classes immediately began preparations for their final assessments.
Grade Seven learners, who will be the first cohort to sit final examinations under the Heritage-Based Curriculum, reported for lessons nationwide, signalling a critical milestone in the country’s education reforms that prioritise skills development, innovation and relevance to national development.
At Melbourne Junior School in Chiredzi, learners said they were ready for the new academic year and the demands of the new curriculum, with some indicating that preparations for the September examinations had already begun during the school holidays.
School authorities confirmed readiness for the transition, citing the availability of teaching and learning materials as well as trained staff.
Melbourne Junior School Principal, Mr Fidelis Harry, said the institution was fully equipped to deliver the curriculum.
“We now have the relevant teaching material as well as textbooks for learners. The HBC gives us an edge as a country because it focuses on skills training, which is what we want, so that we produce a relevant learner. All our teachers have been trained, and we are geared to prepare our learners for their final primary school examinations,” Melbourne Junior School Chiredzi, Principal, Mr Fidelis Harry said.
The opening day also marked the return of learners at all levels, including Early Childhood Development (ECD) pupils, some of whom were attending school for the first time. In Chiredzi and surrounding areas, scenes of parents escorting children to school reflected the significance of the day, with some carrying younger learners to protect them from muddy roads following overnight rains.
Despite wet conditions, learners across the town reported for classes, many equipped with raincoats and gumboots, a strong start to the academic year.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has previously indicated that the Heritage-Based Curriculum is central to Zimbabwe’s broader education transformation agenda, aligning learning with skills training, entrepreneurship and national heritage.
As the 2026 school year begins, schools, parents and learners are now focused on consolidating implementation of the curriculum, with examination classes facing heightened expectations as the first to be assessed under the new system.
