Grade 7 pupils to sit for Agric exams

GRADE Seven pupils will for the first time sit for Agriculture examinations this year, a senior officials has said.

This means the pupils will write examinations in five subjects, instead of four as was the case in previous years.

Primary and Secondary Education Secretary Dr Sylvia Utete-Masango said Agriculture has been taught in lower grades for many years, therefore the Grade Seven pupils are ready for the examination.

“The implementation of the new curriculum is being done in stages, so we will not have Agriculture examinations under the new curriculum this term. That will happen in 2021. For now, its Agriculture examinations under the old curriculum,” she said.

Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president Dr Takavafira Zhou said: “It’s not a bad idea to have examinations on Agriculture because the country’s economy is agro-based. However, we feel that the introduction of the examinations is being done hurriedly.”

“For instance, schools have not received specimen papers so that teachers and student familiarise themselves with the examination. It’s not enough to say the subject has been taught all along because teachers and students need to know how the questions will be structured.”

Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (ZIMTA) chief executive officer Mr Sifiso Ndlovu said Agriculture had not been taught as a stand-alone subject.

“The subject has been part of Content and depth was minimal. Only a few schools have received specimen papers. This may lower the pass rate,” he said.

In 2012, the Department of Curriculum Development came up with an Agriculture syllabus for Grade Four to Seven which was examined under General Paper.

The curriculum included the recommendations of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry on Education and Training of 1999.

Under the new curriculum, Agriculture will be a compulsory subject from Grade Three up to Ordinary Level.