Extra Lessons or Extra Cash?: A Case Study of Schools in Masvingo Urban, Zimbabwe, from a Social Sciences? Perspective

Abstract

The study was about whether extra lessons in Zimbabwe were organized in response to the needs of society or the desire by the teachers in public schools to raise extra cash to augment their low salaries. The study adopted a qualitative research design. It was informed by the theories of utilitarianism and rationalism. The population included parents, teachers, educational leadership, and children in Masvingo urban schools. The study was grounded on four key objectives which sought to establish: the origin of extra lessons and their organization; categories of children who attended; reasons why parents send their children to attend extra-lessons; and whether teachers were no longer teaching during normal teaching hours to force children to attend extra-lessons. Purposive sampling techniques were used to draw the study sample. The major findings of the study were that, extra-lessons emerged after independence. These were meant only for examination classes. Parents afforded their children the opportunity to attend extra-lessons in order to increase their chances of passing public examinations. Schools were only responding to the needs of society. It was concluded therefore that banning extra-lessons or disturbing then in anyway was not in the best interest of the child. This would amount to using social policies to hurt the very people that such policies claimed to serve. It is therefore recommended that, for policies which directly affect people, Ministry needs to consult widely and genuinely. Alternatively, such policies should be based on scientific research rather than depending on naive approaches or personal whims. If the education system should achieve its social and economic role in society, Ministry should protect the social fabric of teachers as social ‘role models.’