About 200 students have graduated with diplomas in Sign Language, Music and Dance, Visual and Performing Arts and Adjudication, with the majority already working as primary and secondary school teachers.
Organisers said about 90% of the graduates are practising teachers highlighting the growing role of arts and specialised skills in the country’s education system.
The graduates were trained under programmes offered by the Music Consultancy Academy (MCS) as part of efforts to equip educators with additional skills aligned with the country’s heritage-based curriculum.
Professor Tavonga Assiel Chipadza, Founder and Director of MCS Music Academy said the initiative was responding to the Government’s drive to develop practical skills and strengthen the capacity of teachers.
“This initiative is a response to government’s skills drive and as the private sector, we have adopted this and equipped teachers with the requisite skill sets to address challenges in their teaching such that it fosters national development through a substantial background from the heritage-based curriculum, which is now fundamental to our learning,” he said.
The inclusion of Sign Language among the programmes is expected to contribute towards greater inclusion in schools, while training in music, dance and visual and performing arts is aimed at broadening opportunities for learners and educators.
National Arts Council of Zimbabwe Harare Provincial Arts Manager William Ndinde said arts education had an important role to play in promoting inclusion and ensuring that learners from different backgrounds had access to opportunities to develop their talents.
“Visual arts, design, and media arts education is dedicated to promoting excellence, equity, and inclusivity for all learners by providing differentiated educational opportunities… This includes addressing the needs of underserved students, often from marginalised groups based on race, culture, language, gender identity and disability,” he said.
The graduation comes as the country continues to place emphasis on skills development and the integration of practical learning into the education system.
The training of practising teachers in specialised disciplines could also help schools strengthen their capacity to offer arts-related subjects while supporting learners with different educational needs.
The graduates are expected to apply their newly acquired skills in schools and other institutions contributing to the development of the country’s creative and cultural sectors.
The initiative also demonstrates the potential role of private-sector institutions in complementing Government efforts to develop a skilled workforce and support the implementation of the heritage-based curriculum.
