Under the new curriculum Ordinary Level students will be expected to go for a 5 month industrial attachment and Government is engaging private companies and non-governmental organisations to facilitate the process.The initiative will also see some students get driver’s licences under a special arrangement.
Secretary for Primary and Secondary Education Dr Slyvia Utete-Masango told The Sunday Mail last week that:
We have been communicating with several companies and humanitarian organisations to cater for students in various disciplines. For instance, those who want to focus on agriculture might get an opportunity for such practice with the Agriculture and Rural Development Authority. And those in pure arts like visual arts, for instance, might get stints at the National Art Gallery. This programme aims to help students choose paths they want to take in terms of academic or vocational training. Even if they drop out of school at any level, they will have skills that can sustain them for life. We are going to implement the programme as soon as we have finalised modalities with different companies and organisations.
The curriculum became effective this year, with Government setting the number of subjects one can sit for at O-level at 10, with seven of them compulsory. The curriculum has been criticised with some citing that there were no proper consultations done among other issues.
More: Sunday Mail