Humanities
ZIMSEC O-Level Heritage Studies
Syllabus topics
94 topics and subtopics in the 2015-2022 syllabus, examined from 1 Jan 2018.
- 2
Identity: Family, Local and National Identity
- 2.1 Types of families
- 2.2 Language and national identity
- 2.3 Indigenous hunting and production tools
- 2.4 Forms of personal identity and national identification documents
- 2.5 Totems, totem praises, genealogy and the purpose of totem systems
- 2.6 Indigenous herbs
- 2.7 Indigenous languages and cultures of the people of Zimbabwe
- 2.8 Family and the community; indigenous community gatherings, ceremonies and events
- 2.9 Indigenous and contemporary marriages
- 2.10 Indigenous wise sayings
- 2.11 Indigenous religious practices
- 3
Cultural Heritage: Norms and Values
- 3.1 The concept of Unhu/Ubuntu/Vumunhu
- 3.2 Norms and values at home, at school and in the community
- 3.3 Norms and values at the workplace
- 3.4 Main features of indigenous Zimbabwean culture
- 3.5 Inheritance and heirship
- 3.6 Rites of passage
- 3.7 Indigenous and contemporary courtship practices
- 3.8 Indigenous marriage practices and marriage counsellors
- 3.9 Birth and death rites and ceremonies
- 3.10 Indigenous entertainment
- 3.11 Dance and drama; sport, arts and culture
- 3.12 Zimbabwean and foreign norms and values; threats to indigenous culture
- 3.13 Men and women in marriage
- 4
National History: Sovereignty and Governance
- 4.1 Pre-colonial societies: hunter-gatherer and herder communities
- 4.2 Indigenous political structures
- 4.3 Early Iron Age societies
- 4.4 Late Iron Age states
- 4.5 Contribution of Iron Age communities to contemporary societies
- 4.6 Missionaries, explorers, traders, concession seekers, adventurers and hunters
- 4.7 Colonisation
- 4.8 The Anglo-Ndebele War (1893-94)
- 4.9 The First Chimurenga/Umvukela (1896-97)
- 4.10 Heroes and heroines of the First Chimurenga/Umvukela
- 4.11 Expropriation of resources in colonial Zimbabwe
- 4.12 The Liberation Struggle/Second Chimurenga/Umvukela (1966-79)
- 4.13 Independent Zimbabwe
- 4.14 Local government structures
- 4.15 Systems of governance
- 4.16 Structures and functions of the central government
- 4.17 Government as a social service provider
- 4.18 Zimbabwe as a member of regional and international organisations
- 7
Rights and Responsibilities
- 7.1 Indigenous entitlements of men and women
- 7.2 Children's rights and responsibilities
- 7.3 Roles and responsibilities of citizens; civic responsibilities at community and national level
- 7.4 Participation in voluntary community activities
- 7.5 Rights and responsibilities of vulnerable groups
- 7.6 Gender equity and equality in contemporary Zimbabwe
- 8
Production, Distribution of Goods and Services
- 8.1 Factors of production
- 8.2 Concept of industry and types of industries
- 8.3 The informal sector
- 8.4 Storage of indigenous and contemporary foods
- 8.5 Indigenous conservation and management of resources
- 8.6 Contemporary methods of manufacturing goods
- 8.7 Land ownership in Zimbabwe
- 8.8 National strategic reserves
- 8.9 Factors inhibiting production
- 8.10 Enterprise skills and employment creation
- 8.11 Conservation and preservation of resources
About this syllabus
The ZIMSEC O-Level Heritage Studies syllabus (Forms 1-4) prepares learners to be responsible, informed citizens of Zimbabwe. It covers socialisation and identity (family, language, totems, ceremonies and marriage), cultural norms and values grounded in Unhu/Ubuntu/Vumunhu, the national history of Zimbabwe from pre-colonial societies through colonisation, resistance and the liberation struggle to independence and the structures of government, national heritage (symbols, monuments, shrines, heritage sites, national events and natural resources), the Constitution of Zimbabwe, rights and responsibilities, the production and distribution of goods and services, and global issues such as climate change, disasters, disease, human trafficking and child labour.
How you are assessed
Continuous assessment (theory tests and research projects in Forms 1-4) carries 30% and the examination 70%. Paper 1 (1 hour 15 minutes, 40 marks) has 40 compulsory multiple-choice questions. Paper 2 (2 hours, 100 marks) has Section A, six compulsory short-answer questions, and Section B, essay questions of which candidates answer any two. Both papers cover all nine topics.
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