MINISTRY OF PRIMARY AND

SECONDARY EDUCATION
COMPETENCE BASED
CURRICULUM
ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK
CURRICULUM OVERVIEW
WHY CURRICULUM REVIEW
 MAIN FEATURES
OF THE
COMPETENCE-BASED CURRICULUM

The Competence-Based Curriculum’s aim is

to produce learners with relevant skills,
applied knowledge, values, attitudes and
dispositions that are key to national
development.
 Teacher
learns
together with Emphasis
Scientific learners on 21st
approach Century
to learning
Skills

Learner Main features of

Exit the Competence-
Based Inclusive
Profile
Curriculum learning

Hand-on Continuous
learning Assessment
approach
Promote and
cherish the
Zimbabwean
AIMS Prepare learners
for life and
identity
work

Prepare and orient

learners for
Foster
participation, life-long
leadership and learning
voluntary service
Prepare learners for
participatory citizenship, peace
and sustainable development.
PRINCIPLES UNDERPINNING THE CURRICULUM

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education cherishes

the following principles:
• inclusivity • respect
• life-long learning (Ubuntu/Unhu/Vumunhu)
• balance
• equity and fairness
• diversity
• gender sensitivity
• transparency
• responsiveness
• accountability
Pillars Of The Curriculum Framework

TP
Legal& S
Regulatory
Infrastructure
Development Frameworks

Teacher
Capacity
v e lo pm en t
CERID De
Learner Exit Profiles?
Learner exit profiles
The Curriculum Framework prepares
graduates of the education system to have
the following exit profiles:
• Critical thinking
• Problem-solving
• Leadership Hard work is
golden
• Communication and team building
• Technological
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Learner exit profiles
Has attained knowledge in the following areas:
■ Basic literacy and numeracy
■ Business and financial literacy
■ Mastery of specific subject content
Appreciates and cherishes national identity and:
■ Manifests patriotism;
■ Recognizes and values national symbols
Voluntarily engages in participatory citizenship
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 Learner Exit Profiles
• Has the following values:
• Discipline
• Integrity
• Honest
Hard work is
• Unhu/Ubuntu/Vumunhu golden
• Has the following attitudes and dispositions:
• Self-initiative and enterprising
• Self-managing
• Ability to plan and organise
LEARNING LEVELS
The Framework outlines the following three
learning levels:
• Infant School: ( ECD-Grade 2)
• Junior School: (Grade 3-7)
• Secondary :Forms 1-4
:Form 5 and 6
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 Infant School (ECD A-Grade 2)
The medium of instruction at this level shall be the indigenous language
which is commonly used or spoken in a particular area as outlined in the
Constitution of Zimbabwe. The infant school consists of the following
learning areas.
 Languages (indigenous Language as medium of instruction)
 Visual and Performing Arts
 Physical Education
 Mass Displays
 Mathematics and Science
 Heritage Studies (Social Studies)
 Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
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 Junior School (Grades 3 to 7)
The learning areas for Junior School are as follows:
 Languages
 Mathematics
 Heritage and Life-skills Orientation Programme
 Science and Technology
 Agriculture
 Information and Communication Technology
 Visual and Performing Arts
 Family, Religion and Moral Education
 Physical Education, Sport and Mass Displays
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 Forms 1 to 4
The secondary school curriculum should offer learners from Forms 1 to 4 a broad based
curriculum from which they acquire the necessary competences from different learning areas to
cater for their diverse talents, interests, aptitudes and abilities.

The choice of Learning Areas at this level guides learners on progression to various career paths
or further studies and should be guided by the Ministry’s emphasis on STEAM/STEM, Visual
and Performing Arts, Humanities and Languages, Design and Technology and Commercials.

Each learner shall participate in at least ten (10) learning areas, seven (7) of which will be cross
cutting and three (3) to five (5) others will be necessary electives. The necessary electives
indicate a choice of Pathway by the learner at Forms 5 and 6.
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 Forms 1 to 4
In Forms 1 to 4, all learners engage in the following cross cutting Learning
Areas:
■ Agriculture Forms 1-4
■ Physical Education, Sport and Mass Displays Forms 1-4
■ General Science Forms 1-4
■ Mathematics Forms 1-4
■ Indigenous Language Forms 1-4
■ English Language Forms 1-4
■ Heritage Studies and LOP Forms 1-4

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 The Necessary Electives
The necessary electives shall be chosen from the Learning Areas in the
following categories:

Sciences

 Computer Science Forms 1-4

 Geography Forms 1-4
 Physics Forms 3 - 4
 Chemistry Forms 3 - 4
 Biology Forms 3 - 4

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 The Necessary Electives
Mathematics
■ Additional Mathematics Forms 3 - 4
■ Pure Mathematics Forms 3-4
■ Statistics Forms 3 – 4
 
Languages
■ Literature in English Forms 1-4
■ Literature in Zimbabwe Indigenous Languages Forms 1-4
■ Foreign Languages Forms 1-4

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 The Necessary Electives
Humanities
■ History Forms 1-4
■ Sociology Forms 1-4
■ Economic History Forms 1- 4
■ Family and Religious Studies Forms 1-4

Commercials
■ Business & Enterprise Skills Forms 1- 4
■ Commerce Forms 1-4
■ Commercial Studies Forms 3 - 4
■ Economics Forms 1-4
■ Principles of Accounts Forms 1-4 19
 The Necessary Electives
Technical Vocational
■ Building Technology and Design Forms 1-4
■ Design and Technology Forms 1 – 4
■ Food Technology and Design Forms 1-4
■ Metal Technology and Design Forms 1- 4
■ Home Management and Design Forms 3 - 4
■ Technical Graphics and Design Forms 1-4
■ Textile Technology and Design Forms 1-4
■ Wood Technology and Design Forms 1-4

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 The Necessary Electives
Music and Arts
■ Art Forms 1- 4
■ Dance Forms 1- 4
■ Musical Arts Forms 1- 4
■ Theatre Arts Forms 1-4

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 Forms 5 and 6

The Curriculum promotes the five Pathway system which includes the

following: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics

(STEAM); Visual and Performing Arts; Humanities and Languages;

Design and Technology and Commercials. A learner is placed into a pathway

of choice using the acquired competences (knowledge, skills and attitudes) and

learner profile record. All Learning Areas have the same weight.

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 Forms 5 & 6
STEM Disciplines Visual & Humanities & Design and COMMERCIALS
e.g. Performing Arts Languages Technology e.g. Economics,
Additional e.g. Principles of
e.g. e.g.

16 months Forms 5 & 6

Pathways

Maths, Physics, Wood, Metal , Food ,

Accounts,

Cumulative:
Film, Theatre English & Indigenous
Chem, Bio, Geo, Literatures, Foreign Building, Technical
Arts, Music, Graphics, Textile, ICT, Business
ICT, Agric, Art, Language, Heritage,
Physical Art, Physical ICT, Agric, Art, Agric, Art, Physical Studies, ICT,
Physical Education, Education, Sport Agric, Art,
Education, Sport Education, ICT,
Sport Physical
  Agric, Sport
Education, Sport
 

 
 
 

Cross cutting or transversal issues

Environmental issues, health education, civic education, entrepreneurship, financial literacy
 

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 Guidelines for learning area selection

Some school leaders encounter challenges on what package to offer at secondary level.

However, school leaders should get guidance from the Secretary Circular No:2 of 2017

on curriculum implementation modalities. School leaders need to consider the following

when helping learners to choose learning areas (LAs) at secondary school level:

 The Ministry has clearly outlined cross-cutting LAs; seven were identified and those

need to be offered to every learner.

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 Guidelines for learning area selection
The 3 to 5 necessary elective LAs should be chosen based on the following:

the emphasis placed by MoPSE on STEM/STEAM and Design and Technology;

career paths or line of further studies of the learner;

the available resources at school to support the LA requirements;

the ability of the learner;

the profile report/certificate which reflects the key competencies of the learner.

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 Guidelines for learning area selection

 At ‘A’ Level, while all that influences the choice of LAs at ‘O’ Level applies, the

learner’s needs are to be given preference in LAs allocation. Learners will not be

restricted to a number of LAs to take, but their choice is influenced by factors

mentioned above.

 LAs are grouped into pathways, but it is not compulsory that learners should only

take LAs of one particular pathway, they have room to cross to other pathways.

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 Festivals
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has embarked on the
implementation of the New Curriculum 2015-2022. As part of the
implementation strategy, Annual Science, Sports and Arts Festivals are
used as a tool to assess the levels of competencies acquired by learners
through exhibitions.

Festival are an organized set of special public activities and performances

such as musical performances, sport, artistic and scientific exhibitions.
 Festivals
Every Learning Area shall exhibit scope and competency levels
achieved at these festivals. Each Learning Area shall exhibit at the
following levels:
1. School Annual Science Sport Arts Festival (SASSAF)
2. Cluster Annual Science Sport Arts Festival (CASSAF)
3. District Annual Science Sport Arts Festival (DASSAF)
4. Provincial Annual Science Sport Arts Festival (PASSAF)
5. National Annual Science Sport Arts Festival (NASSAF)
 Assessment

■ One of the distinctive features of the 2015-2022 Curriculum Framework

for Primary and Secondary Education is its emphasis on continuous
assessment model which will systematically take into consideration learner
performance during their complete period of schooling.
■ The assessment is used to make decisions about the learner from
cumulative appraisal of individual leaners from infant to secondary school.
■ The assessment model has three components which are continuous,
summative and profiling assessment.
 Conclusion
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education will
provide a transformative educational system, that will
equip the learner to face tomorrow with determination
and power to transform the socio-economic nature of
the nation, within the realms of the national philosophy.