Zimbabwe Form 1 Commerce Syllabus

This syllabus provides a foundation for understanding commercial activities within a Zimbabwean context. It aims to equip learners with practical skills, knowledge, and values relevant to the commercial world. The syllabus emphasizes learner-centered approaches and incorporates cross-cutting themes such as ICT, financial literacy, and enterprise skills.

Topics Covered:

• Production: This topic covers the stages of production, factors of production (land, labor, capital, and enterprise), and the ownership of means of production, emphasizing the importance of indigenous ownership within the Zimbabwean economy. It also introduces the concept of the chain of production from primary to tertiary stages.
• Trade: This topic introduces the concept of trade, differentiating between barter and monetary trade. It explores home trade and foreign trade, examining the roles of wholesalers and retailers in the distribution chain. The topic also covers marketing boards and commodity markets.
• Consumer Protection: This topic focuses on consumer rights and responsibilities, exploring ways consumers can be exploited and the reasons for consumer protection. It also examines the role of consumer protection boards like the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ) and the Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ).
• Business Organizations: This topic introduces the different types of business organizations in both the private and public sectors. Learners will explore the characteristics of sole proprietorships, partnerships, and incorporated businesses.
• Enterprise: This topic introduces the concept of enterprise, focusing on the qualities of an entrepreneur and the advantages and disadvantages of entrepreneurship. It also emphasizes the importance of enterprise skills for economic development.
• Finance and Banking: This topic covers personal finance, including sources of income, saving, and personal investments. It also introduces the concept of money, its characteristics, functions, and the effects of inflation. The topic also explores the banking system, including the services offered by commercial banks.
• Insurance and Assurance: This topic introduces the concepts of insurance and assurance, their purposes, and the different types of risks. It also covers communal systems of insurance and assurance within the Zimbabwean context.
• Business Communication: This topic explores the importance of communication in business, covering various telecommunication devices and services, including their advantages and disadvantages. It also examines the role of service providers in the telecommunications sector.
• Transport: This topic examines the importance of transport in commercial activities, exploring different modes of transport and their advantages and disadvantages. It also covers the evolution of transport systems.
• Warehousing: This topic introduces warehousing and its importance in commerce. It also explores indigenous storage systems used in Zimbabwe.
• Marketing: This topic introduces basic marketing concepts, including the different types of markets (physical and virtual) and their advantages and disadvantages. It also explores the need for marketing.