Zimbabwe: Development of a Curriculum for Domestic Workers
The event brought together domestic workers, employers representatives, industry (hotel and catering), care service providers, instructors and government officials. Participants in the workshop included the Chief Training Officer of the Red Cross, representatives of the Ministry of Labour, and the Deputy Director for Curriculum Research and Development in the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development.
During the sessions, co-facilitated by DACUM facilitators from NAMACO and the Ministry’s Curriculum Research and Development Unit and an ILO consultant, the participants completed the development of the DACUM occupational/job profile of a Domestic Worker. Moreover, they developed a preliminary framework for the development of four Qualification Standards for domestic housekeeping; cooking, baking and serving food and beverages; providing care and support to infants, toddlers, elderly people and pets; and caring for the yard and outdoor facilities. In addition, a framework for the development of a modular curriculum was designed, through the preliminary identification of module titles and learning outcomes for each module.
As a result of the workshop, the DACUM Chart for a Domestic Worker, including job title, duties and tasks to be performed, was registered on NAMACO national database.
The training packages were developed at the level two of the Zimbabwe National Qualifications Framework (ZNQF) but most of their contents can actually meet level 3 criteria.
The frameworks developed during the workshop provided a sound reference for the development of training packages through the adaptation of existing local, regional and international materials, with particular focus on South Africa, India and the regional qualifications framework for south-east Asia. This will enhance the flexibility and employability of workers at national, regional and international levels, as well as their future career progression. Once the training courses are in place, trainees will be in a position to complete one or more qualifications based on their needs. The trainees can also complete and get credits for one or more unit standards across the four different qualifications.