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Nqobile Tshili Chronicle Correspondent
THE Government has availed $9 million for the implementation of the new education curriculum, with teachers being urged to take a leading role in the utilisation of the fund.

The Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Dr Lazarus Dokora said teachers should apply for materials that they need to implement the new curriculum.

The new curriculum was introduced at the beginning of the year and transitional classes: Early Childhood Development A, Grade One, Grade Three, Form One, Form Three and Lower Six are implementing the curriculum.

“We’ve this $9 million which is available to buy materials for those grades that have entered phase two of implementation of the curriculum. Teachers must apply for the materials that they wish to have,” said Dr Dokora.

He said teachers will account for the materials they order and school heads should not interfere with their programmes.

“We will hold them (teachers) accountable for the outcomes. If a teacher chooses a programme and you throw away their paper and substitute it with yours, we can’t hold them accountable.

“However, we will hold the schoolhead accountable for the overall failure of his or her school. So let’s all play our part because the money is there,” he said.

Dr Dokora warned schools against violating intellectual property through photocopying textbooks. The Minister said even school headmasters seem to be unaware that the practice undertaken in the name of cutting costs was illegal.

The introduction of the new curriculum is a product of recommendations made by the Nziramasanga Commission.

In 1998, the Government set up the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into Education and Training (CEIT) which was chaired by Dr Caiphas Nziramasanga, a lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe. — @nqotshili.