CALA debate heads to Cabinet

Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter

THE Continuous Assessment of Learning Activities is expected to come under Cabinet consideration next week where a decision on whether to review the programme or drop it completely will be made, Primary and Secondary Education Minister, Dr Torerai Moyo, has said.

Dr Moyo said this in the National Assembly during its Question and Answer time on Wednesday.

He said this while responding to a question by Midlands Proportional Representative Cde Vairet Nhari on what Government was doing to address the high costs to parents and guardians for their children to complete CALA.

“The money being spent by parents to fulfil the CALA requirements is much more than the school fees being paid. Parents are not happy with the way teachers are conducting CALA. What can be done to alleviate the situation?”

Dr Moyo agreed that the costs for CALA were high and said Cabinet would deliberate on the issue next week when it is expected to meet for the first time this year.

“It is true that parents have been spending a lot of money on CALA. It was even higher than tuition fees, especially in rural areas. So, the plan is to review the CALA issues as we review the competence-based curriculum that started working in 2015 up to 2022.

“This issue will be taken to Cabinet, chaired by His Excellency President Mnangagwa next week. The meeting will determine whether the CALA will be taken out or we review it. At the moment I would not be able to respond whether CALA will be removed or it will remain. I can only know that after Cabinet deliberations,” he said.

During public consultations conducted by the Ministry last year, most parents and guardians called for the scrapping of CALA saying it was making learning difficult for pupils especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds who were failing to complete the required activities due to the high costs involved.

Some also argued that they were the ones doing the CALA assignments instead of the learners themselves.