Looking for the best options after O and A Level in Zimbabwe? This place provides a 21st Century education

Zimbabwe’s Ordinary Level results are out and across the country thousands of students – along with their parents and teachers  – are wondering what the next best step is.

With the demands of an evolving world one priority that most people are highlighting is getting a 21st-Century education.

What does a 21st-century education look like? This is not any easy question to either ask or answer. I am more aware of what it should not be but not what it is. Education in this century should NOT be rigid and it should not be boring! Thankfully, there are options like ASHE International College that provide an education that is neither of those two.

An approach to education with a global edge

At ASHE international College continuous assessment in the provision of basic education was a reality way before it became a topical issue after the commissioning of a new curriculum by the Zimbabwean Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education. This is because ASHE uses the Australian Matriculation system.

In fact, they are the only Zimbabwean school accredited by the Government of Western Australia Schools and Curriculum Standards Authority.

Continuous assessment makes the assessment of students more fair and reflective of their academic discipline, hard work and general ability.

Some of us sailed through high school with flying colours not because we were good students but because we were good at exams or even just good at spotting exams as we called it. This outdated form of assessment encouraged the churning out of lazy members of the workforce sometimes. Anyway, this is another debate for another day…

The great thing about the Australian Matriculation Programme (also known as the Foundation Programme) is that it takes only one year as opposed to A-Level. The foundation programme is a more specific preparation for university than A-Level and ASHE has arrangements with over 200 universities in Malaysia, Australia, the UK and all over the world to have their students enrolled easily into these top universities including local Zimbabwean universities.

Flexibility should not be just about the curriculum, it should be reflected in the enrolment qualification to whatever programmes a school offers. In Zimbabwe, we are used to the notion that good quality institutions must have too high enrolment qualifications.

I appreciate that ASHE International College challenged this counter-intuitive idea.A good school should take any form of student and equip them to become ready for the next stage. Einstein would not have been admitted in school if they had the attitude our schools exhibit today.

The minimum requirement to enter the Australian Matriculation Programme at ASHE is 5 O-Levels inclusive of English. This is great news for all the young people out there who did not do as well as they might have wanted at O-Level yet they know they have what it takes to tackle university.

The foundation programme will not only be acceptable for admission into university but it will give them the best preparation for university because it is structured as a pre-university programme. There is continuous assessment at university, why not start at foundation.

Next time we will take a look at the other programmes offered by ASHE International College. In the meantime, if the idea of an internationally accredited preparation for university is a good idea to you, click right here.