THE Government has availed $9 million for the implementation of the new education curriculum, with teachers being urged to take a leading role in the utilisation of the fund.

The Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Dr Lazarus Dokora said teachers should apply for materials that they need to implement the new curriculum.

The new curriculum was introduced at the beginning of the year and transitional classes: Early Childhood Development A, Grade One, Grade Three, Form One, Form Three and Lower Six are implementing the curriculum.

He said teachers will account for the materials they order and school heads should not interfere with their programmes. Dr Dokora warned schools against violating intellectual property through photocopying textbooks. The Minister said even school headmasters seem to be unaware that the practice undertaken in the name of cutting costs was illegal.

The introduction of the new curriculum is a product of recommendations made by the Nziramasanga Commission.