Zimbabwe Lower 6 Curriculum - Horticulture

This curriculum covers the core principles and practices of horticulture, providing students with a comprehensive understanding of the subject. The curriculum aims to equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary for a career in horticulture or further education in the field. It emphasizes practical, hands-on learning, encouraging students to apply their knowledge to real-world scenarios.

Form 5

• Background to Horticulture: This topic explores the history and development of horticulture, its various branches (vegetable production, flower production, fruit production, herb production), its socio-economic and ecological importance, and the factors affecting horticultural production.
• Production Technology: This topic covers different production systems (open field, greenhouse, shade house, etc.), propagation methods (seed, suckers, cuttings, grafting, budding, layering, tissue culture, cloning), and the structures and equipment used in horticultural production.
• Plant Physiology: This topic delves into plant structure (roots, stems, leaves, flowers), plant-water relations, bioenergetics and ATP synthesis, plant growth and development, and the effects of environmental factors on plant growth.
• Soil and Water Management: This topic covers the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil, soil management practices, soil moisture, water and the environment, and soil-water management techniques.
• Plant Protection: This topic focuses on weed identification, classification, and management, pest identification, classification, life cycle, and management, disease classification, signs and symptoms, disease cycle, modes of transmission, and management, safety precautions in handling agro-chemicals, and sprayer calibration.
• Landscaping and Ornamental Plants: This topic explores the importance of landscaping, landscaping features, principles of landscaping, designing landscapes, and the importance, selection, establishment, and maintenance of ornamental plants.
• Floriculture: This topic covers the origin and uses of flowers, land preparation, management practices, post-harvest handling, and marketing of flowers. Students are required to study and produce one plant from specific groups like cut flowers (roses, chrysanthemum) or pot flowers (African violet).
• Vegetable Production: This topic covers the importance and classification of vegetables, types of vegetable gardens, vegetable rotation, environmental requirements, nursery management, vegetable management practices, harvesting, post-harvest handling, and marketing. Students study and grow one vegetable from groups like legumes (peas), leaf vegetables (cabbage), bulbs (onions), and tubers (potatoes).

Form 6

• Floriculture: Similar to Form 5, but with a focus on different flower types, such as bed flowers (petunia) and indigenous flowers (cacti).
• Vegetable Production: Similar to Form 5, but with a focus on different vegetable types, such as roots (carrots), fruit vegetables (tomatoes), cucurbits (cucumbers), and indigenous leaf vegetables.
• Fruit Production: This topic covers the importance and classification of fruits, nursery management, propagation methods, orchard establishment, orchard management practices, harvesting, post-harvest handling, and marketing. Students study and grow one fruit crop from groups like tropical fruits (mango), subtropical fruits (citrus), temperate fruits (apples), and indigenous fruits.
• Herb and Spice Production: This topic covers the origin, uses, production systems, land preparation, management practices, harvesting, post-harvest handling, marketing, and record-keeping for both herbs and spices. Students study and grow a selection of herbs (e.g., aloe, mint) and spices (e.g., ginger, garlic).

Assessment

The curriculum utilizes both continuous assessment (30%) and summative assessment (70%). Continuous assessment includes theory assignments, tests, production projects, and experimental tests. Summative assessment consists of four written papers and a practical project. The assessment model is designed to evaluate students' knowledge, understanding, application of knowledge, and experimental skills.