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The past week was for rumination about our languages, literature and history, with three literary events happening at very close intervals. On Wednesday, October 28, the former education minister, Aeneas Chigwedere, launched his three books at the Maestro Restaurant in Highlands, Harare.
The books, published by Mutapa Publishing House, are “The Mutasa Manyika Dynasty (1695-2000)”, “Shona Chieftainships — Principles of Succession”, and “Chimurenga 1 — The Anti-Portuguese War (1675-1695)”.
On Saturday, October 31, writers and publishers from different provinces converged at Holiday Inn in Harare for a follow-up workshop on the current curriculum review process. The day-long workshop, held courtesy of ZIBF and the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, was under the theme “The Impact of Curriculum Impact in Writing and Publishing”.
Late afternoon the same Saturday, various artists proceeded to another event at Queensdale Sports Club, to celebrate the life and works of iconic writer Chenjerai Hove who passed on in July this year.
While the book launch and the commemoration of the late Chenjerai Hove lived up to expectation, the workshop also had its own exciting and tense moments.
When information about the curriculum changes was made available to writers and publishers at this year’s ZIBF Writers’ Workshop in August, thoughts were provoked that the writers and publishers requested for another opportunity to meet officials from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education over the issue, hence the Saturday meeting.
However, it turned out to be a meeting of ‘secret lovers’ as the Ministry said it also had scheduled the Saturday meeting earlier than the writers as part of its work towards engaging all stakeholders in the education sector.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Dr. SJ Utete Masango proficiently unveiled in simple language the whole curriculum review framework, explaining in detail the important elements such as background, the framework’s objectives, proposed learning areas, principles guiding the framework, the national pledge, and the proposed establishment of a Centre for Educational Research, Innovation and Development (CERID).
The framework, said Dr. Masango, seeks to “produce a well-rounded learner capable of contributing meaningfully to the development of the country while leading a fulfilling and happy life”.
The learning of indigenous languages, Dr. Masango said, was mainly grammar-based whereas English was accorded a certain status as both a language and a type of literature.
“When we talk of literature, we are talking of culture. We do not have literature in the sixteen languages that we have. There’s a void. We might have Shona books but sometimes we have written our indigenous stories in English. We have books in Shona or Ndebele but not Shona or Ndebele literature,” said Dr. Masango.
Learning, as proposed in the new curriculum, has been organised into three levels/modules also known as learning areas which Dr. Masango stressed must not to be mistaken for subjects to be done at school.
The infant module, starting from Early Learning Development to Grade Two, has its own learning areas just as the Junior Module (Grade Three -Seven) and Secondary Module (Form One-Four) have their own but at the same time, the three share certain areas.
These learning areas provided a view of the woods for writers and publishers who then knew what the curriculum review means to them. For instance, learning of visual and performing arts (or the expressive arts) shall be introduced at Infant module in the new curriculum. The essence of this is that there will be a demand for study material targeting learners from ECD to Grade Two.
However, Tendai Maduwa, a performing artist, saw it in a different context. During open discussion, he asked Dr. Utete “By introducing this learning area (of expressive arts) to children, aren’t you preparing them for doom because the performing arts industry will not be able to sustain them?” asked Maduwa.
The chairperson of Zimbabwe Book Publishers Association, Blazio Tafireyi said they need advance information such as dates and deadlines so that they can support the review.
Dr. Masango’s responses to Maduwa and publishers were like boomerangs.
Dr. Masango challenged publishers not to look at deadlines or dates of the curriculum review but to come forward with new ideas for the curriculum.
Bulawayo-based veteran playwright and arts entrepreneur Cont Mhlanga said he was concerned with the educational content that will be put in the classroom.
“How is the Ministry going to come up with the content that is upgraded to suit the young generation?” he asked.
Mbuya Colete Mutangadura, an author and founding member of Zimbabwe Women Writers, is a relentless supporter of indigenous language and tradition. She said Zimbabweans should be proud of their cultural identity because the ancestors already established the guiding knowledge necessary for mental emancipation.
“We can do without borrowing too much from outside,” she said. However, Dr. Masango, acknowledging the importance of closely focusing on issues of local value systems and identity, said that it is good to be on our own but we must not forget that Zimbabwe exists in a global village.
Director of Curriculum Development Unit (CDU), Dr. A P Makanda also presented on the topic “Writing to New Areas” under which he talked about mass displays, literature in indigenous languages, visual and performing arts, family and heritage studies, family religion and moral education and the commissioning of writers.
He condemned vulgarity in literature because it endangers the minds of children. Illustrators, he said, should be wary of the way they present their messages in images.
“You find some books with illustrations of women depicted as witches and you wonder if this book can be passed on to ECD,” said Dr. Makanda.
During open discussion various issues came up such as the need for writers to write about success stories of people with disability to inspire society.
The afternoon session dubbed “Philosophy of Hunhu/Ubuntu in Fiction and Textbook Writing” also alternated overheated debates with some humorous moments but these may need a space of their own. Under this session, Professor Rosemary Moyana talked about Literature in Indigenous Languages and Identity, renowned historian and creative writer Pathisa Nyathi spoke about Heritage in Zimbabwean Culture —Hunhu/Ubuntu, writer Mashingaidze Gomo presented on Ubuntu/Hunhu in Fiction Writing and lastly, spirit medium and writer Luta Shaba had profound words in her presentation about Spirituality and Hunhu/Ubuntu.
Online Reporter