BULAWAYO residents feel that there is rampant cheating in the Continuous Assessment Learning Activity (Cala) programme, and have called for its disbandment.
Cala is a student assessment policy that was first implemented in 2021.
It requires learners to perform and demonstrate their knowledge and proficiency, which will constitute 30% of their final marks.
Allegations are that parents are doing assignments for their children or bribing teachers to give good marks to their children.
This came out during a recent virtual meeting by the Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association (BVTA) in partnership with the Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association to discuss Cala.
Speaking to Southern Eye, BVTA director Michael Ndiweni said: “We had a session with the informal traders during which they said they are failing to cope with Cala, saying it is too expensive because it includes printing and data costs.”
He further claimed that parents could be the ones doing the projects for their children.
“Cala is too expensive for informal traders to afford. There is corruption between parents and teachers,” Ndiweni said.
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“Cala requires a high level of knowledge and it is difficult for children to comprehend. The meeting resolved that traders now want the Cala programme cancelled because children are failing to cope.”
Bulawayo resident, Sidumisile Moyo described Cala as the most useless, yet expensive programme adding that it should be scrapped off as parents do 90% of the works while children only do 10%.
“This is an exercise which they should only do when at college or university, not at secondary and primary level. With the loopholes that are there in this exercise, we then begin to wonder what kind of policymakers we have in the country,” said Moyo.
