Millions of kids worldwide may be growing up reconciled to the idea that milk is just another carton picked off a supermarket shelf and eggs come home packed in neat trays from a farm that could well be a factory assembly line.
For many, the joy of experiencing and learning about rural traditions and way of life has become a facet that merely exists in textbooks.
At Beza Primary School, around 10 kilometres outside Zimbabwe’s fifth-largest city, Masvingo, an unusual classroom sits under the open sky. Here, students learn what urban life doesn’t teach.
The classroom includes a goat pen that is currently home to 29 animals. They are more than just livestock. They are part of a unique curriculum designed to provide life lessons in culture, mathematics and sustainability.
Philips Kusasa started the ‘Ndau Festival of the Arts’ to help communities appreciate and safeguard the indigenous agrarian culture, which was slowly eroding.
The initiative, supported by UNESCO’s "Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage through Basic Education" programme in Zimbabwe and Namibia, bridges the gap between heritage and practical education.
For students like Faith Maribha, the project has transformed abstract lessons into hands-on experiences.
"I had only read about village traditions in books," Faith tells TRT Afrika. "It’s been fascinating learning that a kid goat is called ‘mbudzana’ and how livestock is an important part of traditional ceremonies in Shona culture. In visual arts class, we see how animal hide is turned into clothing. It makes learning real."
Even mathematics class has assumed a new, interesting dimension.
"Counting the goats we have in the kraal (livestock enclosure) is more fun than numbers on a page,” confides fellow student Lawrence Moyo. "We calculate herd growth, measure feed, and even work out veterinary doses. It’s maths we can use."
Changed mindset
Students at the Beza school now see goats as more than food or a source of income; they represent a connection to ancestral traditions.
Enia Chikohora, a teacher, explains to them why goats are treated as precious gifts in ceremonies like masungiro or kusungira. In this ritual, a pregnant or newly married woman returns to her parents' home for the birth of her child or as part of post-wedding traditions.
"When a woman returns to her parents’ home on such an occasion, Shona culture regards it as a sacred moment. She brings a pair of goats gifted by her in-laws to her parents – a male for the ceremonial feast and a female for breeding. This isn’t just about food; it’s about sustaining life, lineage, and respect,” says Enia.
The impact extends beyond the classroom. Parents like Tafara Moyo acknowledge the value of incorporating heritage into modern education.
"I never thought my child would be taught in school what I learned from my grandparents," he tells TRT Afrika. “This blending of tradition and education ensures that native knowledge isn’t lost with time but cherished and carried forward as a legacy.”
Now, whenever a traditional ritual is performed at home, Moyo’s son isn’t out of sync with his roots. “He understands the thought behind the practice. He also helps care for our goats using techniques he learnt at school. This is the kind of education we need, one that stays with them for life,” says the delighted father.
Organised system
The project is supported by UNESCO’s "Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage through Basic Education" program in Zimbabwe and Namibia, helping students connect with their heritage while gaining practical skills.
Located in Marrakech, Morocco, the Dar Gnawa Museum is a rich collection of stories, rites, and practices inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
Agriculture lessons in school include traditional herbal remedies for farm animal injuries, blending ancestral knowledge with modern animal husbandry.
At Sikato Primary School, another such UNESCO-backed project is underway. This one is centred on traditional "roadrunner" chickens, a hardy, self-sufficient breed rooted in Zimbabwean culture.
Students learn about the benefits of using aloe vera for poultry health and the importance of planting snake-repellent herbs around coops.
"In our culture, offering a guest a chicken is the highest form of respect," says a teacher at the school. "And chicken feathers? They aren’t waste, but used as headpieces to go with traditional attire."
UNESCO’s initiative isn’t just about preserving the past; it’s also about preparing for the future.
"This project doesn’t just teach history; it makes students proud custodians of their heritage," says Enia. "They see how tradition and modern skills can work together."
