The Sunday Mail
Debra Matabvu
Ordinary Level students will soon be required to have drivers’ licences in line with the Life Orientation Skills Programme to be introduced in 2016 under the new education curriculum.
The Primary and Secondary Education Ministry is already hammering out a pilot project to determine the feasibility of this, with the Transport Ministry also involved.
Two schools in Matabeleland South are giving pupils driving lessons and facilitating road tests with the Vehicle Inspection Department.
In an interview with The Sunday Mail, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Dr Lazarus Dokora said, “The idea came from people who participated in the curriculum review process and said, ‘We want our children to have such kinds of skills’.
“Actually, we have two schools in Matabeleland South providing for drivers’ licences and we are discussing with the Ministry of Transport to see how we can pilot that (initiative) and how workable it is.
“What I am talking about is not news in Europe, for instance, because once a child turns 16, he/she is assisted by the school to acquire a drivers license. You will agree with me that if a child has a license, they are empowered.”
The Life Orientation Skills Programme is a compulsory five-month work-related initiative students will undergo before they get their O-Level examination results.
It will see learners work in hospitals, uniformed forces’ departments, schools and private institutions, engaging in volunteerism and acquiring skills. In addition, teachers will be capacitated in curriculum research and development, technical and vocational education, indigenous languages and ICTs, among other disciplines.
The new education curriculum comes into effect in January 2016, and will align existing education practices with emerging national and global socio-economic trends.
Content-based curricula will transform to competency-based examining.
At the World Teachers’ Day Commemorations in Harare yesterday, Dr Dokora said about 6 000 indigenous language teachers were enrolled at Midlands State University to study ICTs.
“This Teacher Capacity Development Programme is upgrading diploma holders to degree level, degree holders to Master’s level; and a few will be assisted to advance to PhD level on research programmes identified by the ministry.
“We have also said an indigenous language teacher will be able to put across the message clearly to students, ensuring students understand the language better. We are training them in ICTs.”
