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Pages: 62
ISBN: 2370000009890
With Zimbabwe’s literacy rate rated the best on the continent, the challenge is upon us to maintain that position.
Tunisia is on second position. As the saying goes home is where the heart is, United Kingdom based author Wellington Kusema’s has come up with a Shona textbook intended to be used by primary schools
At first glance a couple of things about the book appear somewhat peculiar namely the fact that it is in Shona yet the title is mixed, English and Shona.
The name “Success in Shona” is not appropriate. Why not “Budiri-ro muShona?”
It strikes one as being odd that a Shona textbook would have an English name as Kusema has chosen to name his book “Success in Shona”. Could it be that the mother tongue is dying a natural death?
When an author mixes the two languages, it shows lack of seriousness of the language by the writer.
In spite of the book being labelled a Grade Seven textbook the author asserts that it is suitable for both Grade Six and seven scholars.
It is not like Sunrise series that straddles Grade 1 and 2 classes. As the primary school Shona curriculum is widely dominated by Gabriel Matindike’s, Nhaka Youpenyu publications, Kusema’s entry into the foray as it is inevitably going to improve the quality of Shona learning in Zimbabwean schools.
One of the positives I managed to draw from Kusema’s approach is that , he draws inspiration and narrates of recent events on the international arena namely last year’s football World Cup hosted in South Africa.
“Success in Shona” comes with answers, which will prove useful to many teachers and parents, as they will be able to monitor their children’s grasp and progress in the subject.
Kusema’s book is written in conformity with the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council, (Zimsec) requirements covering all essential elements of the syllabus.
However, a questionable thing as far as the book is concerned is whether it was a plausible move to make the entire book a multiple-choice approach. Somehow one is inclined to think that in a way this stifles and short circuits pupils ability to think and truly learn the subject.
Having attached answers to the back of his book I found it unnecessary for him to make it a multiple-choice publication.
On page 5 when Kusema introduces the subject matter of similes, I feel that his technique of having students replace the words in bold for similar words is ill advised. This is because in the fading light or when reading the book at night using lights, it is extremely difficult to tell apart the words in bold print from those in regular print.
On the flip side most of the stories narrated in Success in Shona are written in a manner intended to mould the young generation into morally upright and responsible citizens of tomorrow.
This is evidenced on page 25 in Takawira’s letter to his friend Tongai telling him among other things to shun hurtful and stingy habits as seen through his recent experiences.
Kusema also does a splendid job of propagating Zimbabwean tourist destinations like the Victoria Falls and gives a lesson in Zimbabwean history.
The author on page 37 speaks of racial segregation that existed prior to independence when the black majority’s movement and rights were severely restricted by the colonial regime. Kusema also tells of the might of our forefathers who successfully defended the country against the invasion by the Portuguese would be colonialists in the 1600’s.
Kusema bravely tackles the white elephant of HIV and Aids (Page 27-29) in society a topical issue that most educationists in the country have deliberately avoided in the teaching process.
Success in Shona is a welcome addition to the brood of Shona primary textbooks, however, Kusema has a Herculean task in unseating seasoned books that already dominate the field.
Secondly the latter publications are a developmental stage by stage series spanning the grade Three-Seven syllabi whereas at present Kusema only has a publication suited to grade 7 students.
Nicely packaged in a gloss hard cover that will not easily fold in the corners thereby growing what students call “ears”.
A good addition to those intending to improve their children’s Shona as they relate to most of the stuff in the book.
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