Primary education in Zimbabwe is a seven-year cycle usually for children from the age of 6 to around 12 years. There is a national examination at the end of the primary education cycle which allows students entry into secondary or high school education. The primary education Programme follows the policy of compulsory education and allows automatic promotion from one level to the other.
The government through the ministry of Primary and Secondary education overseas primary education and mandates seven years of primary school education, encompassing Grades 1 to 7. The fee structure varies depending on the school but the standard or minimum fees are set by the government through the ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MoPSE). Below are some of the general facts about primary education in Zimbabwe.
- Duration of study: 7 years
- Ages: 6-12 years
- Primary Languages: English, Ndebele, and Shona
- Other languages: Venda, Sotho, Nambya, Kalanga, Tonga
- Terms : 3 (1st term- January to early April, 2nd Term- May to August, and 3rd Term September to December)
- Admission Term: 1st Term (January)
Primary schools curriculum in Zimbabwe focuses on areas including:
- Languages
- Mathematics
- Heritage and Life Skills Orientation Programme –Social Studies
- Science and Technology
- Agriculture
- Information Communication Technology (ICT)
- Visual and Performing Arts
- Family, Religion and Moral Education
- Physical Education, Sport and Mass Display
Examples International Primary Schools in Zimbabwe
The following are some of the top schools and international schools that offer primary education for international students in Zimbabwe.
Harare International School
This is an independent, non-profit institution Founded in 1992, offering education for students in Early Childhood 1 (EC 1) to Grade 12.
- Founded: 1992
- Location: Harare
- Address: 66 Pendennis Road, Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe
- Type: Non-Profit
- Levels: EC1 to Grade 12
- Acronym: HIS
- Campus: Suburban
- Enrolment: 450+ students
- International Representation: 60+ countries
- Accreditation: Council of International Schools (CIS) and Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA-CESS).
- Membership: Association of International Schools in Africa (AISA), the Association for the Advancement of International Education (AAIE), and the Association for School Curriculum and Development (ASCD).
The school offers a variety of facilities including classrooms, a library, an art room, a multi-media center, a music room, outdoor playing courts, and a playground, science labs, an art center, a canteen, a physical education facility with an enclosed gymnasium, a multipurpose room, a fitness center, and a shower facility, to mention but a few.
Littlerock International School
This is a Cambridge international school registered with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education in Zimbabwe. Primary education for this school is conducted on 2 campuses, with ECD A to grade 4 at Milton Park campus and grades 5 and 6 at the Norton Campus.
The fee structure for the school is as follows:
- Non-refundable registration fee for all new students - $50USD
- Nursery to Grade 4
- Tuition $300usd.
- Stationery fee USD$60.00 per year
Grade 5 to grade 6
- Tuition US$300
- Boarding fee US$350
- Stationery fee US $60.00 per year.
Bryden Country School
This is a school located in Chegutu offering primary education, which is a single stream non-denominational primary school. It is a co-ed boarding school for children between the ages of 5 and 12 years old, established in 1983 and offering a boarding facility.
The school offers education in several areas including Maths, English, Geography, History, Computers, Shona Science, RME and Life skills to mention but a few. These schools offer grade 7 certificates upon completion and students can advance to secondary school after that.
The school offers a variety of clubs including Board Games, Chess club, Christmas Craft Club, Computers club, Cookery, Conservation, Dance, Duathlon, Young Farmers, French, Tennis, and Science clubs. The school offers education for local students and students from various countries.
Bishopslea Preparatory School for Girls
This school is one of the best, established in 1932, and offers a stimulating environment for primary students from nursery all the way to grade 7. The school offers a variety of activities that stimulate learning. Extracurricular activities include ballet, modern dance, rhythmic gymnastics, drama, and piano lessons, to mention but a few. It offers boarding facilities as well.
Whitestone Primary School
This is an Independent School in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe established in 1942 and Located in the southern suburb of Burnside. It is one of the best primary education institutions in Zimbabwe with a uniquely stimulating environment. It offers a variety of facilities providing for all aspect of the curriculum including the Art Room, Adventure Playground, Chapel, Classrooms, Computer Room, Dining Hall, Library, Music Centre, Sanatorium, School Hall, Sports Fields, Swimming Pool, Tennis Courts, Tuck Shop, the Interactive Education and “Adventure into Learning Centre”, and the Supportive Education Centre. Whitestone is a Cambridge school.
Other primary schools in Zimbabwe include Camelot Junior Primary School, The Grange Primary School, Mvurachena Primary School, Riverton Academy, Pinper Private Primary School, Saiss Junior School, Mutarazi Junior School, Mother Patrick Convent Primary School, Dudley Hall Primary School, Coghlan Primary School, St. Thomas Aquinas Primary School, Whitestone School, to mention but a few. Primary schools in Zimbabwe offer Zimsec certification or Cambridge certification, depending on whether they are private or government schools.
Primary School Entry Requirements
- Completed Application Forms which you can friend from RocApply
- Copy of Birth Certificate
- International passport for international students
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