History teachers form provincial chapter
DISTRICT History teachers representatives recently met at Light Academy in Mutare and elected a provincial executive which will spearhead History activities in the province as well as improve the image of the subject and how its study impacts positively on the development trajectory of the country.
Following the launch of the national association of History teachers at Troutbeck Hotel recently, the district reps from the seven districts of Manicaland converged at a private school in Mutare, Light Academy, and deliberated on the need to have district structures by the second week of the second term as well as hold elections for the establishment of a substantive provincial executive.
MrNyik ad zi no Ma ki chi, the head in charge of History in Manicaland, said the executive should think outside the box if the subject will maintain relevance in the wake of the new curriculum which relegated History to be one of the elective subjects yet hitherto, it enjoyed the compulsory subject status.
‘’Those who will be in the executive have an onerous task of ensuring that the relevance of History is brought back to the fore. Our lawyers, social workers and politicians among many professionals, know how important the subject is. However, you need to work hard as funding may be an obstacle,’’ Mr Makichi said.
Prior to the election, the district representatives agreed to have one common paper for the province at ‘’O’’ and ‘’A’’ level starting this year. Moreover, all schools would pay affiliation fees for the smooth running of the organization.
‘’We want standards to be maintained. Thus, experienced teachers would set papers and provide marking schemes which would be discussed at district and zonal levels for the benefit of the students. Obviously, every school has to pay an affiliation fee termly for the activities of the organization to move expeditiously,’’ said the convener, Mr Anyway Sadziwa, who is the national vice president of the History Teachers Association of Zimbabwe.
Those tasked with steering the History Teachers Association of Zimbabwe, Manicaland Province for the next three years, are as follows: Chairperson –Mr WibertMuzokomba-Marange High School; Vice Chairperson-Mr Stephen Maobvera-Tsanzaguru High School; Secretary General- Mr Freedom Mutanda-Chipangayi High School; Vice Secretary General- Mr Cephas Kutsirayi-Buhera High School; TreasurerMr Silas Nyakatawa-Nyatate High School; Committee Members: Mrs Dapi, Mrs Makondora, Mr Chinowaita.
It remains to be seen whether the activities lined up to revive the subject will be a successful venture as the annual History conference slated for end of August 2018 draws close.