Primary School Heads Raise Concern Over CALA

The National Association of Primary School Heads (NAPH) has proposed that Continuous Assessment Learning Activity (CALA) projects for Grade Six learners be amended as they are burdening pupils with too much work.

Speaking at the NAPH conference which started on Sunday in Victoria Falls, NAPH president Cynthia Khumalo who is the head of Chinotimba Primary School in Victoria Falls, said:

Continuous Assessment Learning Activity is an excellent way of assessing the learners but its administration needs fine-tuning. The scenario where a 13-year-old produces 30 projects is on the higher side.

At university, only one project is produced and so we suggest that one component per subject is enough starting at Grade Seven level.

Khumalo also proposed that Grade 7 examination fees should not be treated as school fees which parents pay every term at Grade Six level. She said:

At Ordinary and Advanced Level they pay only once. Can the same be done to the Grade Seven as administration of the fund is difficult at school as we are short-staffed?

Khumalo urged the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) to set aside a budget for the administration of examinations.

CALA was first adopted for the Grade Seven, Form Four and Form Six 2021 public examinations candidates though it is part of the 2015 adopted new curriculum.

Under CALA, learners work on projects which are then awarded marks and the CALA marks constitute 30 percent of the final exam mark. | Chronicle