Online Reporter
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
THERE is a growing trend, particularly in Manicaland, where learners are opting for Science subjects at A-Level, leaving Arts and Commercial classes nearly empty – a shift driven by the desire for better job prospects and enrollment in Science-related tertiary programmes.
A research undertaken by The Manica Post in schools around Mutare revealed that at Mutare Boys’ High School, for instance, the Science class has 34 learners, while the Commercial and Arts classes have 11 learners each.
In its current Form Five stream, St Dominic’s High School has 26 learners doing Arts subjects, 22 undertaking Commercial learning areas and a staggering 60 in Science learning areas.
At First Class Academy, 60 percent of their A-Level learners are undertaking Sciences, while Commercials have 25 percent and Arts classes have a paltry 15 percent.
Chibuwe Technical High School in Chipinge District has 23 learners doing Arts subjects in their current Form Five stream, while 24 and 58 are undertaking Commercials and Sciences respectively.
Their current Form Six stream has 21, 20 and 56 learners undertaking Arts, Commercials and Science subjects, respectively.
Anglican Diocese of Mutare-run St Augustine’s High School has 23 learners undertaking Arts subjects, 30 in Commercials classes and 82 in Sciences subjects, to make a total of 135 Lower Sixth learners. Their Upper Sixth classes have 11 learners in Arts classes, 33 in Commercials and 92 in Sciences, to make a total of 136 learners.
This trend is not surprising, given the job market demand for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) professionals.
Science subjects open doors to careers in Medicine, Engineering, and Biotechnology, among others.
Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education spokesperson, Mr Taungana Ndoro acknowledged the shifting preferences.
“The ministry acknowledges the discourse surrounding the trend where more learners are opting for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects. The Government, through the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, views this as a positive evolution in our education sector, reflecting a dynamic response to global economic trends,” he said.
A doyen in the education sector, Mr Stephen Gwinyai Mutsongodza, who is the First Class Group of Schools’ Director General, said: “Sciences are more popular than Commercials and Arts. The trend is that most learners and parents now prefer Sciences.
“Even those who cannot manage, they just want to do Science subjects. Commercials are second from Sciences in terms of choices, while Arts are at the bottom. The exact figures vary but that is the general outlook.”
In their enrolment at A-Level and issuance of subject combinations, formal schools have tried to reserve Science subjects only for learners who would have done Science subjects at O-Level, but that has not helped as parents either take their children to private schools where the subject combination requirements are more relaxed or bribe their way to getting their desired Science subject combinations for their children in those formal schools.
Parents interviewed by this newspaper also confirmed their shifting preferences.
Mr Obert Mutetwa Chishiri of Zimta Park One said: “Letting a child pursue Arts subjects in this era looks daunting considering the future and prevailing job market trends. It is like abandoning them.
“This is why most of us are now comfortable with our children undertaking science subjects in fields such as agriculture, computers, physics, chemistry, mathematics and so on.”
Giving reasons for the shifting preferences, Mr Ndoro highlighted that Arts learning areas remain relevant and indispensable.
“However, we also wish to reassure the nation that the Arts and Humanities remain, not only relevant, but indispensable to our national fabric.
“The perceived surge in Sciences at A Level can be attributed to a few key factors. First, there is a growing global and local awareness of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Learners and their guardians are strategically positioning themselves for careers in Engineering, Medicine, and Information Technology, critical to our modern economy.
“Second, the Government’s deliberate policy of mainstreaming STEM education — through initiatives like well-equipped laboratory refurbishments and targeted scholarships — has made these subjects more accessible and appealing. We are proud that our learners are responding to these opportunities enthusiastically. However, it is crucial to correct the impression that Arts subjects are being abandoned. At the Ordinary Level, Arts and Humanities subjects remain massively popular and form the backbone of a well-rounded education. Subjects like History, Literature, and Indigenous Languages continue to see high enrolment numbers,” he said.
Mr Ndoro underscored the value of Arts subjects.
“We must emphasise that you cannot build a nation on infrastructure alone. You need creative and critical thinkers to manage it, tell its story, and preserve its values. The Arts are the custodians of our culture and drivers of our creative industry, a key pillar of Vision 2030. An economy needs engineers to build bridges, but it needs artists, sociologists, and philosophers to build bridges between people. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is committed to maintaining a delicate balance.
“We are not promoting one stream at the expense of the other because socio-economic transformation requires a multi-sectoral approach,” he said.
The ministry has interventions to address the imbalance.
Mr Ndoro said: “We are continuously modernising the teaching of Arts subjects, integrating technology into the Humanities, and creating new pathways showing learners how an Arts degree can lead to viable careers in Media, Law, Psychology, and the growing Creative Arts economy. Through significant events like the First Lady’s Career Expo, we are intensifying career guidance, showcasing success stories from both STEM and Arts graduates.
While celebrating the rush towards sciences, we are investing in resources for Arts subjects, like libraries, language laboratories, and platforms for performing arts, ensuring no learner is left behind.”
