BY DEMETRIA MANYONGA
LOCAL author Rodgers Upenyu Chaipa (pictured) has published new books to cater for the new educational curriculum in Zimbabwe and other African countries.
Chaipa recently told NewsDay Life & Style that the books would suit the changes in technology as well as replace texts used in the old curriculum.
“The curriculum is new, which brings with it new approaches to subject pedagogy, especially looking at the ever-changing technologies,” he said.
“The new curriculum subjects are replacing the old curriculum subjects and textbooks. The old curriculum is getting phased out at the end of 2020 at primary school level, which
means come 2021 all primary school learners will be doing the new curriculum from ECD to Grade 7.”
Chaipa said five of his books have been published so far, adding that he was set to release more with the passage of time.
“So far, five books are out and in circulation; four in Namibia and one in Zimbabwe. In Namibia, there is the Physical Education Learners book and the Teacher’s Guide for Grade 8, the
Physical Education Learner’s, as well as the teachers copy for Grade 9, which were published in 2018,” he said.
“In Zimbabwe, there is a Smart Agriculture Grade 7 revision text, which was published last year in August and is already circulating.”
Chaipa added that he has always had the passion to contribute something to the education sector. He said he got the inspiration from other writers, remarking that he had attracted
markets from other countries.
“I was inspired by many writers who made me want to write educational books as a meaningful contribution to the educational sector. I was thinking of Zimbabwe alone, not knowing that
one day I would write for the sub-region,” he said.
He also said he had other projects for Zimbabwe as well as Zambia.
