Science festival a huge success

The recently held National Annual Science, Sport and Arts Festival in Gweru has been described as a
huge success as it was able to demonstrate the power of the Competence-Based Curriculum, also
known as Education 5.0.
The platform, which is there to demonstrate and share good practices in translating theory to
practice and preparing the foundation for pupils to start thinking and shaping their skills in order to
produce quality goods, products and services managed to unearth a number of rare gems.
Under the human capital development theme of the country’s National Development Strategy 1, the
country is demonstrating its commitment to laying the foundation for Education 5.0.
Torerai Moyo, the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education said in the Competence-Based
Curriculum, the country is looking at the arts as a learning area through which various talents are
promoted and nurtured.
“These areas include the Visual and Performing Arts which actually is an industry through which
meaningful livelihoods and substantial revenue can be achieved for national development,” Moyo
said.
The inclusive nature of the festival was there for everyone to see as there were platforms for 12-
year-old hard-of-hearing student Precious Siamatanga who played marimba for her school, while
Godknows Mandlodlo an 11-year-old student born with cerebral palsy demonstrated preservation of
food.
Siamatanga’s head at Nyamhunga Primary School in Kariba, where she does Grade 1, Bridget
Masocha said she learnt playing marimba through letters of the alphabet, identifying other players’
rhythms by observing mallets movements and relevant counts associated.
“Precious first step of playing marimba was that she managed to name the keys using letters of the
music alphabet, she then learnt the chords before alternating and variations
“Communication is done using sign language, in some cases, she just copies from her marimba band
peers and identifies other players’ rhythm by merely observing mallet movements and relevant
counts associated,” said Masocha.
Siamtanga has been in the school marimba band since 2021 and Masocha advised parents and
teachers that the children living with disabilities should be treated equally and given equal
opportunities because they are in no way different from other learners.
“These children should be given equal opportunities and be treated equally. They are not as difficult
to teach as some parents think. Some are very creative if given a chance and they enjoy hands-on
activities a lot,” added Masocha.
Mandlodlo, a Grade 3 pupil at Sibantubanye Special School in Bulawayo was the only representative
from his province.
His table at the exhibition had different types of foods with the main focus being food and its
preservation.

Daniel Sibanda, his teacher and assistant at the festival said due to his condition Mandlodlo could
not communicate or do anything but could now communicate in English, Shona and Ndebele
without challenges.
Mandlodlo said he was happy to be participating at such a big event.
“I am happy to be participating as I am learning a lot and I look forward to participating in other
upcoming NASSAF events,” he said.
Sibantubanye Special School provides individual programmes which are specifically designed for the
type of disability in line with the inclusive education system.
With activities at this year’s NASSAF done and dusted, the Competence-Based Curriculum, which
Minister Moyo said his Ministry recognised and celebrated all different types of intelligence and
human potential amongst its pupils is certainly the way to go as it marks a sharp paradigm shift from
the traditional focus on academic performance alone.