Configuring the Key Social Justice Concerns in Rural Education in Zimbabwe

Abstract

At independence, one of the tasks faced by the black government in Zimbabwe was to redress the inequalities in education and to dismantle the institutionalised obstacles to educational justice which had characterised the colonial period and had marginalised the blacks. The government had inherited an education system that was divided along racial lines and which privileged the white minority. There were inequalities in education in terms of: (a) provision with limited educational opportunities for blacks; and (b) quality, with blacks being given an inferior type of education. Both factors had limited the chances of social mobility and participation in society for blacks. Rural areas had particularly been marginalised in terms of provision of education as there were few schools in these largely black areas. The government then introduced several reforms which were meant to make education a basic human right for all and ensure social justice through the removal of impediments that had resulted in marginalisation of blacks. The developments in education in the country have been hailed as a success story on the African continent. Some of the achievements that have been highlighted in literature are the expansion in education which presupposes increased access to education for the black majority and the high standard of education in the country as compared to other countries on the continent. The chapter examines the extent to which: (a) the representations of social justice are visible (or not) in rural education and schools in the context of the reforms and their implementation; and (b) the education system and policies that make provision for the promotion of social justice in rural education and are inclusive enough to enable rural children to succeed. The chapter draws on empirical studies and literature on education in independent Zimbabwe as well as personal experiences during the author’s line of duty to provide some insights into the key concerns.