Norton Member of Parliament, Temba Mliswa has praised sacked former Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Lazarus Dokora, saying that he was the first minister in the last 20 years who had the courage to implement the New Curriculum. According to Mliswa, the New Curriculum was recommended by the Nziramasanga Commission in 1999, but only Dokora had the courage to implement it. He also said that Dokora was let down by the Treasury which did not give him adequate resources. Mliswa went on to say that the New Curriculum is here to stay and that Dokora’s successor Professor Paul Mavim was going to continue with the New Curriculum.
Speaking on Twitter, Mliswa said:
Whilst Dokora is widely unpopular, many do not realise that he is the only Minister in 20 years who had the courage to implement the new curriculum as recommended by the Nziramasanga report. Treasury let him down by not supplying funds. So he may go but the curriculum will stay.
No doubt Mavhima will implement the new curriculum. As a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Education, we were impressed with his tenacity. One of the only Ministers at work at 5 am leaving at midnight. He did not make populist decisions. The new system was widely consulted.
After being sworn in on Monday, Mavima confirmed that there was no going back on the implementation of the New Curriculum.