Primary And Secondary Education Minister Torerai Moyo has torched a storm after suggesting that Zimbabwe should eliminate Grade Seven examinations
Minister Torerai Moyo said this at the Bulawayo Provincial Taskforce on Drugs and Substance Abuse meeting over
“In my personal opinion, it is important for us to eliminate Grade Seven examinations and continue with continuous assessment even at Grade Seven. When they are transitioning to Form One, they can use their third-term report. When enrolling them for Form One, secondary schools can give them assessment tests.”
He added that some European countries that did away with Grade seven exams are doing well.
“We did benchmarking to Finland and Sweden when I was the chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee of Primary and Secondary Education and observed that they are progressing well. Educators just give assessments to their children from Grade One right up to Form Four. They just write one public examination, which is Ordinary level and it has worked very well. I think we also need to consider that in Zimbabwe.”
Minister Torerai Moyo said after Grade Seven examinations, children will be idle and end up exposed to drugs. This is also why he directed that Grad3 Seven pupils remain in school after finishing exams.
“Another directive that we have given to schools is that Grade Seven teachers should make provisions for lessons for our pupils. If they stay at home, they will have a lot of time which will be wasted, and learners will be engaged in drug and substance abuse.
“So, as a ministry, we saw that it is prudent to have those learners remaining in their schools and continue with lessons. When we talk of a curriculum it involves a lot of things such as public speaking and sporting activities hence children must be engaged and continue with continuous assessment so that they are not influenced by their peers to engage in drug and substance abuse.”
-Iharare news
