Cabinet To Have Final Word On CALA Debate - Minister
The Continuous Assessment of Learning Activities (CALA) regime is set to be brought before Cabinet soon where a decision on whether to review the programme or drop it completely will be made.
This was said by the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Torerai Moyo, in the National Assembly during its Question and Answer time on Wednesday.
He was responding to a question by Midlands Proportional Representative Vairet Nhari (ZANU PF) on what the Government was doing to address the high costs incurred by parents and guardians for their children to complete CALA. Said Nhari:
The money being spent by parents to fulfil the CALA requirements is much more than the school fees being paid.
Parents are not happy with the way teachers are conducting CALA. What can be done to alleviate the situation?
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In response, Moyo admitted that CALA was indeed putting a heavy financial burden on parents, adding Cabinet will deliberate on the matter. He said:
Parents have indeed been spending a lot of money on CALA. It was even higher than tuition fees, especially in rural areas.
So, the plan is to review the CALA issues as we review the competence-based curriculum that started working in 2015 up to 2022.
This issue will be taken to Cabinet, chaired by His Excellency President Mnangagwa next week.
The meeting will determine whether the CALA will be taken out or we review it.
At the moment I would not be able to respond whether CALA will be removed or it will remain. I can only know that after Cabinet deliberations.
Most parents and guardians never fully embraced CALA, saying it was an unnecessary financial burden.
Educators have also pointed out that CALA made learning difficult for pupils especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds who were failing to complete the required activities.
Reports suggest that parents and guardians, and corrupt teachers, were the ones doing the CALA assignments instead of the learners themselves.
More: Pindula News
