The education ministry deputy executive director, Edda Wibke Bohn, said that they are open for consultation on what should be done with the revised curriculum.

The revised curriculum has attracted wide criticism especially for confining those who would have studied with Namcol and other institutions that are outside the formal school system.

One of the sticking points is the phasing out of Grade 10 as an exit point. The curriculum also says that junior primary now starts from Grade 0 to Grade 3, and senior primary comprises of Grade 4 to 7.

There will be five promotional core subjects – a prevocational subject and 5 support subjects during the primary phase.

The junior secondary phase will consist of Grade 8 and 9 with pupils writing a junior secondary semi-external examination at the end of Grade 9. This phase will have 7 compulsory promotional subjects, elective subjects and support subjects.

The senior secondary phase starts at Grade 10 and the National Senior Secondary Certificate Ordinary Level (NSSCO) will be a two-year course, covered in Grade 10 and 11.

The National Senior Secondary Certificate Higher Level (NSSCH) has been replaced by the Advanced Subsidiary (NSSCAS) level, a one-year course to be covered in Grade 12.

 The higher and ordinary levels will be like the Higher International General Certificate of Secondary Education (HIGSCE) and International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGSCE).

Bohn, who was appointed to the post in Dec. 2019, told Eagle FM’s Morning Scoop that:  “We are open for discussion and to embrace the critical engagement. At the end it is that vehicle that should alleviate the dilemma we find ourselves in. We want education to be successful for every individual in the country. But we are also restricted by our resource envelope.”

Bohn also said the education ministry implemented the revised curriculum for senior secondary as of 2017 for Grade 8 and in 2018 for Grade 9. She said Grade 10 was phased out in 2019.

“Then this year in 2020, we will have Grade 11 as the second year of senior secondary school. So when you fully understand this sequence, this needs to be fully understood, how the system works now,” she said.

“Before that time we had junior secondary having three years, that is eight, nine and 10 and at that point in time, grade 10 had a junior secondary certificate, possibly a school-leaving exam.

“We take cognisance of the fact that some learners do not make it in the first time attempt and they will have to make it through Namcol or other part-time tuition centres to be admitted into senior secondary.

“But that senior secondary is no longer there in the formal education. So we now have 10 and 11 on the ground which sounds different already. So that you need to understand first. If they had wanted to enter grade 11 they will have missed out, you understand because it is already the second year of senior secondary,” she said.