Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST) has rolled out the new secondary curriculum effective September 7, 2015, which is expected run for five years as recommended when another one is put in place.
The development comes after a year its implementation was postponed due to logistics huddles including teaching and learning materials to support the curriculum.
In a press statement available to The Maravi Post on Wednesday 9, 2015, the ministry is asking all schools to start implementing the new syllabus in all the subject areas expect where facilities for particular subject are not available.
“The ministry wishes to inform the general public that chemistry and physics shall be taught in all national secondary schools (24), district boarding schools (43), district day (48), city day (11) upgraded CDSSs (12) and non upgraded CDSSs (200) which will be given science kits.
“Private schools are expected to procure their teaching and learning materials from the open market because books are now being published and printed by the private sector without any control from government other than the pre-printing selection of manuscripts conducted by Malawi Institute of Education (MIE).All secondary schools offering the government curriculum are therefore called upon to adhere to the guidelines which are available to them”, concludes MoEST statement.
The Maravi Post later caught up with Manfred Ndolvi MoEST’s Spokesperson on the prospects of the new curriculum towards its implementation regarding to insufficient of teaching and learning materials, who expressed optimism that the new system will work perfectly.
“Government is still procuring learning and teaching materials that by end this month, September all equipments will be available. While waiting the full swim of the new syllabus implementation, other schools have been given starter pack, but those not yet received, are advised to use available resources or liaise with their nearby schools having materials or they can start with theory lessons then later with practical especially on chemistry subject.
“The implementation of the new curriculum starts with those just joined form one but those in forms two, three and four will continue with the old syllabus as national examination will follow the same.
The curriculum is supposed to run for five years but due to financial challenges it even takes 10 to 15 years before a new one is put in place”, explains Ndolvi.
The ministry of Education and MIE had been reviewing the secondary school curriculum since 2009 till last year when was postponed just a week left before its commencement in the 2014/2015 academic year due to technical and logistical hiccups.
The current syllabus seeks to underline on science subjects in a bid to endow students with learner-centered approaches, adequate and relevant skills to cope with tertiary education and the modern life in general.
