Zimbabwe to Make Heritage-Based Curriculum Mandatory

Harare International School campus in Harare

All schools in Zimbabwe will be required to adopt the Heritage-Based Curriculum (HBC) as their primary syllabus starting in 2027, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Torerayi Moyo has announced.

Speaking in the Senate last week, Torerayi Moyo said the move is aimed at aligning the country’s education system with national development goals and strengthening the teaching of Zimbabwe’s history, culture, and indigenous languages. The Heritage-Based Curriculum was introduced to produce learners who are not only “job seekers” but also “job creators,” grounding education in Zimbabwe’s natural resources, cultural identity, and economic realities.

Three Curricula Currently in Use

At present, Zimbabwe operates three main curricula across different types of schools. First, government, council, and mission schools predominantly follow the Heritage-Based Curriculum. Second, some private and trust schools offer both the HBC and the Cambridge curriculum, administered by Cambridge Assessment International Education. These schools often combine local and international examination pathways.

Third, a limited number of international schools, including Harare International School, follow the International Baccalaureate (IB), a globally recognised programme headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The IB is commonly used by expatriate and diplomatic families.

“As of now, we have three curricula,” Minister Moyo told senators. “The Heritage-Based Curriculum is taught in Government schools, council schools and church schools. Other private schools also offer the Heritage-Based Curriculum. We also have what we call the Association of Trust Schools and independent colleges that offer Cambridge. Harare International School uses the International Baccalaureate.”

New Legal Framework

According to Minister Moyo, Cabinet has already considered the proposed legal changes. The forthcoming Bill will make it compulsory for all schools to teach the Heritage-Based Curriculum as the foundational syllabus.

“If we are to look at this law, the Bill was presented to Cabinet, and we said that all the schools in the country are supposed to teach the Heritage-Based Curriculum,” he said.

Under the new framework, schools that wish to continue offering Cambridge examinations will be required to submit a formal application to the Secretary for Primary and Secondary Education. The application must outline how the school intends to implement Cambridge alongside the mandatory national syllabus.

This effectively means that international curricula will no longer operate as standalone alternatives but as supplementary programmes subject to state approval.

Policy Rationale

The policy shift follows concerns that some schools have been placing limited emphasis on Zimbabwe’s liberation history, national identity, and indigenous languages. Authorities argue that a unified curriculum framework will strengthen national cohesion while still allowing room for international competitiveness.

The Heritage-Based Curriculum emphasises practical skills, innovation, and entrepreneurship, in line with the government’s broader economic strategy. Officials say it seeks to connect classroom learning with agriculture, mining, tourism, and other local economic sectors. While the announcement signals a significant restructuring of Zimbabwe’s education landscape, questions remain about how implementation will affect private and international schools, as well as examination pathways for students seeking global university placements.

More details are expected once the Bill is formally tabled and debated in Parliament.

Heritage-Based Curriculum Zimbabwe