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Ivan Zhakata and Faith Katete
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has received 3 167 radio sets from United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to facilitate access to radio lessons by children in disadvantaged communities and schools.
The radios, which were handed over to the Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Edgar Moyo yesterday in Harare will be distributed to 2 500 disadvantaged schools across the country and 500 community centres.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Deputy Minister Moyo said his ministry had been providing radio alternative learning in a bit to ensure access to teaching and learning materials for pupils.
He said the Ministry had to-date managed to broadcast 1 427 lessons on the competence-based curriculum on all national and community radio stations.
“The access to radio lessons could only be of use to those with transmission signals and by downloading from the Ministry learning platforms, the learning passport and Edu connect,” Deputy Minister Moyo said.
“The 2 600 radios for schools and the 500 radios for community centres will go a long way in providing alternative education to underprivileged communities. Radio, besides being a vehicle that develops leaners through auditory senses also develops learners’ knowledge, skills and attitudes.
“Radio also develops the learner’s perception of the world around him or her by stimulating the mind to the imagination. With imagination, learners are then also exposed to the 21st century skills of critical thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration and problem solving.”
Deputy Minister Moyo said the Covid-19 pandemic disturbed and disrupted teaching and learning at a magnitude that was never experienced before.
He said the radios will go a long way in mitigating access to learning to disadvantaged communities.
“The radios will allow schools to listen to live broadcasts as well as access previously broadcast lessons through uploaded sticks,” said Deputy Minister Moyo. “The Ministry is leaving no child behind in an attempt to provide education for all.”
UNICEF Education Manager Chiharo Kondo said the radio education programme, which commenced in June last year, enabled children to continue accessing quality education through provision of remote learning.
“The programme entailed the development, recording and broadcasting of radio lessons through four stations under the national broadcaster and five other community radio stations which mainly broadcast lessons for ECD level in indigenous languages, achieving a national coverage of about 95 percent,” she said.
Meanwhile, the first phase of the television lessons for primary pupils begun on Monday this week to compliment radio lessons, with Government challenging school heads, parents or guardians and teachers to familiarize themselves with the schedule in order to assist learners.
The rolling out of the television lessons shows Government commitment to providing education even during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education spokesperson Mr Taungana Ndoro said television and radio lessons in Zimbabwe’s educational sector were an important step in bridging a potentially unequal development.
“To enhance our blended learning strategies, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has enhanced its reach to learners by introducing television lessons to compliment radio lessons,” he said. “As long as resources allow we are looking forward to launch the second phase of the programme.”
Online Reporter