Zimbabwean Primary Schools Research Articles

Saber-toothing the University In–service Curriculum for Zimbabwean Primary Schools: The Contestations

In this study, the authors argue that ‘saber–toothing’ the university in-service curriculum is a critical success factor in building an impact educational programme for Zimbabwean primary schools. By saber-toothing the in–service curriculum, the authors propose that the education curriculum at university should continue to develop in order to address and serve the purposes and needs of the time. It explains how some unexamined habits and practices can result in resisting the much-needed curriculum reforms. The new global and national conditions demand a paradigm shift to chat new in–service curriculum discourses that develop the Zimbabwean education system. The study uses an interpretivist qualitative case study of one Zimbabwean university, purposively sampled five experienced and senior lecturers teaching the in–service programme and ten in–service student teachers. Data were collected through semi–structured interviews in respect of lecturers, focus group discussions within–service students and document review of module outlines. The main finding is that the in–service curriculum has remained stagnant in the changing times and failed in its highest end to develop a reflective and responsive in–service product that can ‘saber–tooth’ the knowledge and skills to solve challenges and realities of their time and contexts. The study recommends that universities re-vision the largely existing in-service academic curricula and practices to adopt a practically–oriented, knowledge generation training and skills-based model that equips teachers with the proper knowledge and skills to change educational fortunes in their unique local school contexts.

Child-Directed Healing Play and student–teacher relationships. Evaluating a promising practice among primary-aged children in Zimbabwe

This mixed methods study evaluates the effectiveness of Child-Directed Healing Play (CDHP) in improving student–teacher relationships in 7 Private Primary Schools in Zimbabwe. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) questionnaires were administered to 31 trained teachers. Sixty-two children (22 girls and 40 boys) aged between 3 and 12, from ECD to Grade 7 were screened using the Youth Outcome Questionnaires (YOQ) completed by parents. Thirty-one children were assigned into intervention group (IG) and 31 in control group (CG). Quantitative data were gathered at two points in time: prior to the intervention (pre-test) and after the completion of the intervention (post-test) using the Student-Teacher Relationship Scale (STRS) Short Form. Qualitative data were collected using CDHP Session Evaluation Forms. Results showed that 32 % of teachers had 0 ACEs while 40 % had 1 to 2 and 28 % had 3–5 ACEs. The p-values for the “Closeness” and “Conflict” variables were 0.05355 and 0.1378 respectively, indicating the intervention may have improved the “Closeness” and reduced the “Conflict” in the relationships, although the results did not reach statistical significance. Qualitative findings reveal the effectiveness of CDHP in improving closeness through establishment of therapeutic relationships characterised by increased openness, trust, emotional regulation and mutual understanding. The improved closeness between the teacher and student is reflective of the intervention’s potential to be both curative and preventive (resilience-building).

A contemporary examination of instructional leadership activities and distributed leadership practices in elementary education

While the success of schools is often attributed to the efforts of principals, it is important to determine how schools can embrace distributed instructional leadership to enhance academic performance among learners. It is evident that instructional leadership alone is inadequate and necessitates complementation with a distributed leadership model. This study exclusively focuses on how instructional leadership aligns with distributed leadership, paying special attention to distributed instructional leadership implementation in primary schools in Zimbabwe. In this particular qualitative study, the interpretivist theory served as the guiding framework. The study involved observation and conducting interviews with school teachers and principals to gain insight into the instructional and distributive leadership activities that were taking place within their respective schools. The analysis of the data was approached through the lens of Hallinger and Murphy’s model of instructional leadership. The findings of the study highlighted the importance of active involvement from all members within a school for effective leadership. Furthermore, it was revealed that a holistic approach to school leadership styles is essential, emphasizing the interconnected nature of instructional and distributive leadership activities (distributed instructional leadership). The study ultimately determined that distributed instructional leadership is achieved through collaborative efforts in formulating school visions and embracing shared supervision practices among the members of staff. It was also identified that creating opportunities for staff development in the schools plays a pivotal role in reaching the goals of distributed instructional leadership.

Inclusive education in Zimbabwe: An assessment of teachers' self‐efficacy and attitudes in Masvingo

AbstractSince the Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action in 1994, many countries have been advancing their education systems towards inclusive education. Zimbabwe, being one of the signatories to this framework, is one of the countries that have embraced the concept of inclusive education and has since been making strides towards its advancement albeit rather slowly. The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to examine the self‐efficacy levels of Zimbabwean primary, secondary and high school teachers with inclusive education, as well as their attitudes towards the practice. To do this, 100 primary, secondary and high school teachers working in inclusive school settings in the Masvingo province were surveyed using a modified version of the Inclusion Competencies of Sri Lankan Teachers, (ICSLT) instrument. Findings of this study indicated that most of the participating teachers were in support of inclusive education despite not having the requisite preparation to implement it. Based on the findings, specific recommendations are provided for improving preservice teacher preparation and professional development for in‐service teachers in support of inclusive education.

The Sustainability of Curriculum Reform and Implementation Through Teacher Participation: Evidence from Social Studies Teachers

Globally, there is a movement toward curriculum development and reform as states, governments, and education departments work to provide future-focused curricula to address the demands and difficulties of the 21st century. Despite public knowledge that curriculum reform and implementation are universal trends infested with intractable challenges, little is understood about why the participation of teachers in reform activities from design through implementation should be considered essential. This paper, a part of earlier work, reports on a qualitative case study examining how teachers made sense of their participation in curriculum reform and implementation activities. Twelve teachers representing six primary schools in Zimbabwe were interviewed in Focus Group Discussions and semi-structured interviews to gather data. Using the sense-making theory as a lens, thematic analysis of qualitative data suggests that teacher participation in curriculum reforms enables teachers to be co-designers, which in turn improves ownership of the innovations, leading to an improved implementation fidelity of the new curriculum as teachers are provided with the authority to go through the implementation process with a comparable level of rigor as policymakers. These insights could inform curriculum design and development policy, potentially improving curriculum implementation worldwide. The study implores policymakers to rope in teachers as potent fountains of curriculum content and as partners in curriculum design and development. The study contributes to scholarship on policy formulation and implementation in educational settings.

Development of Early Childhood Education Teachers in Information and Communication Technologies for Literacy or Pedagogy

This study aimed to establish how teachers were capacitated to integrate Information, Communication and Technologies (ICT) towards development of 21st century skills among Early Childhood Education level learners, in the Zimbabwean primary schools. This is in the face of a conglomerate of limitations based on teacher capacity, school culture and access to the ICT resources. The study employed an explanatory sequential mixed methods research design. Quantitative data was collected using questionnaires administered to 126 Early Childhood Development teachers drawn from 230 primary schools, followed by qualitative data collection through analysis of documents, focus group interviews and lesson observations with selected teachers. From analysis of quantitative and qualitative data through SPSS and ATLAS.ti respectively, it was found that teacher training colleges were strong in developing ICT literacy. However, they lacked the capacity to empower the teachers to integrate ICTs for instructional purposes. Such findings retard the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the Zimbabwe Vision 2030. These goals regard ICTs as a cornerstone in the production of knowledgeable workers and qualified human resources for development of 21st skills among learners. Thus, the study recommends adoption of a model characterised by an institutional organisational context with organised internal and external support systems that facilitate sustainable provision of balanced technological, pedagogical and content knowledge for successful ICT integration in line with the national vision and global trends.

Implementation of the competency based curriculum in Zimbabwean primary schools: A case of a primary school in Chitungwiza

The purpose of the study was to explore the challenges faced in the implementation of the competence-based curriculum in Chitungwiza district primary schools. One school was used to conduct the study. Purposive sampling was utilised to select 23 research respondents, namely: 14 teachers, 6 parents, and 3 administrators. The study was guided by the constructivism perspective. Case study design was exploited. The questionnaire, interview guide and focus group discussion were used to collect data. Qualitative data asked for were analysed using the thematic data analysis methodology. The study exposed that the successful implementation of the competence-based curriculum (CBC) was hindered by lack of both material and human resources. Low teacher morale was cited as a recurrent barrier to effective curriculum implementation. It was established that most teachers lacked the basal CBC implementation skills, competencies, and knowledge, as most of them were trained well before the introduction of the new curriculum. Overarching recommendations were that proper planning should be done before the implementation of any transformative curriculum programme. The central government and its partners should avail the requisite financial, material, infrastructural and human resources prior to the envisaged curriculum implementation. Teachers, on one hand, should be positively incentivised as paramount CBC actors. Their seamless morale boost should never be overemphasised if desired curricula goals are to be achieved.

Current Safety and Hygiene Practices and Trends in Primary Schools in the Midlands Province of Zimbabwe

The Zimbabwean Primary School Education system in this 21st century caters for the new syllabus which is competence based and requires learners at all levels of education to have an exit profile. This study aims to explore the major challenges that primary school teachers in Zimbabwe face in their classrooms to keep up with Continuous Assessment Learning Areas (CALAs) which are project based. This study is hinged on a qualitative research approach which is interpretive. A case study with five purposively sampled teachers and grounded on a constructivist theory was undertaken. Semi-structured interviews and document analysis of the questions were used to collect data. Collected data which was analysed inductively, answered the study research question. Findings indicate that although CALAs is an innovative method and an emerging trend in pedagogy that allows learners to have an in-depth understanding, they pose challenges to teachers. Their downside is that they are time consuming and learners without ICT resources fail to cope. Schools and learners’ guardians/parents lack adequate resources to do CALAs which are project based and also embrace the use of technology. Teachers have negative attitudes towards CALAs and they also lack adequate technological pedagogic skills to assist the learners adequately. The study recommends that Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MoPSE) undertake a massive technological project to assist teachers and schools to have adequate and efficient resources that are compatible with the 21st century demands.

Exogenous Causes of Misbehavior in Zimbabwean Primary Schools: A Concern of Stakeholders

Misbehaviour is one of the major problems that is rampant in primary schools and hinders the academic performance of most learners hence a concern for all stakeholders. The major purpose of this study was to find out the causes of misbehaviour at primary school level in Zimbabwe, particularly in Makonde District. The focus of the research was on how factors such as parenting styles and sociocultural factors exacerbate misbehaviour in primary schools getting insights from Bandura’s Social learning theory, Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological systems and Baumrind’s Parenting styles as well as Tafjel’s Social identity theory. The research adopted a mixed approach involving the interpretive research paradigm which hinges the qualitative research approach. The descriptive survey research design was employed to study purposively sampled two (2) head teachers, ten (10) teachers and twenty (20) learners from two (2) primary schools. Data were collected using interviews, observations and document analysis. The study revealed that misbehaviour is due to poor parenting, peer pressure, influence from mass media, permissive school environments, drug abuse, poor home background and the anti-social environments where learners live. The study also revealed that misbehaviour leads to poor academic performance. The researchers recommended for a collaborative effort between teachers and parents and the engagement in guidance and counseling sessions in schools to reduce the rate of misbehaviour amongst primary school learners.

Exploring the Relationship between Critical Thinking and Shona Culture during Teaching and Learning of Young Learners 3-8 Year Olds.

This paper seeks to explore the relationship between critical thinking in young learners and culture. The paper reports on some of the findings of a larger study. The participants were (25) teachers of the (3-8) year olds in five Zimbabwean primary schools and the learners they were teaching approximately (1000) learners. This qualitative interpretive research study was framed within the ambits of social constructivism. Data for this paper was done through video recording teachers teaching Mathematics, interviewing the teachers and observation of learners in the (3-8) year age range engaged in mathematical activities. Interpretation of data from interviews and observations was done through linking related issues or identifying similarities in the responses given by the twenty-five teachers or observed from their teaching or learner activities. Excerpts drawn from responses or observations made are presented verbatim under the different themes that emerged from the issues raised. Findings of this research study indicated that the development of critical thinking in young learners during teaching and learning is greatly influenced by their cultural backgrounds.

Impact of a drug and substance use literacy intervention on knowledge of 6th graders at two primary schools in Zimbabwe: A quasi-experimental study

Impact of a drug and substance use literacy intervention on knowledge of 6th graders at two primary schools in Zimbabwe: A quasi-experimental study

Development of an intervention to prevent violence in Catholic primary schools in Zimbabwe: Innovation from within the Church

Schools have enormous potential to prevent and respond to violence against children. In this paper, we describe a new intervention to protect children from violence in Zimbabwe’s Catholic primary schools, initiated and developed by the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference (ZCBC). ZCBC and academic institutions in Zimbabwe and the UK are partnering to conduct formative research to understand the school context, barriers, and facilitators to intervention implementation. Semi-structured qualitative interviews with teachers and other stakeholders [n=18] suggest that this intervention will be well received. Perceived facilitators include utilising existing structures within the Church, the intervention being viewed as in alignment with Catholic values, and the use of familiar structures within Catholic schools to deliver intervention activities. Challenges will include perceptions of “child protection” among parents and teachers. ZCBC is refining the intervention model, which will be evaluated for effectiveness in reducing violence against children in a randomised controlled trial.

Our school leadership needs! Voices of Teachers in Charge of Multigrade-satellite primary schools in Zimbabwe

Our school leadership needs! Voices of Teachers in Charge of Multigrade-satellite primary schools in Zimbabwe

Accessibility of the Curriculum by Learners with Conduct Disorders in Nkayi Rural Primary Schools in Zimbabwe

The study sought to find out the challenges and opportunities posed by the current curriculum when including learners with conduct disorders in mainstream primary schools in Nkayi District in Zimbabwe. Using a qualitative approach focusing on a case study design data was generated from Fifteen participants (1 school head, 4 mainstream teachers, and 10 learners with conduct disorder) were purposively selected. All participants were interviewed individually. Theme identification methods were used to analyse data. The findings showed that all students showing signs of conduct disorder were mostly taught by regular class teachers in the mainstream. Despite having mainstream teachers and a specialist teacher, learners with conduct disorders could not perform well in their academic work as all mainstream teachers were not conversant with ways of identifying and managing learners with conduct disorders in primary school. It was revealed that there was a lack of proper guidance and counselling and parental involvement in dealing with learners with conduct disorders. Learners with conduct disorders were socially included but were academically excluded because of lack of measures to manage learners with conduct disorders for them to access the academic curriculum in the primary schools. For learners with conduct disorders to fully access the curriculum, this study recommended that teachers should be fully capacitated to manage learners with conduct disorders, reduced teacher-pupil ratio in primary schools, involve parents in the management of learners with conduct disorders and capacitate school guidance and counsellors.

An integrated model for teacher continuing professional learning in Zimbabwean primary schools

Background: Rapid changes in the classroom and out-of-school life characteristics of this knowledge society make continuing professional learning for teachers an imperative. But what kind of continuing training model could be effective in diverse work situations such as under-resourced rural school environments?Aim: The aim of the project was to capacitate primary school teachers in their teaching of mathematics to encompass numeracy learning outcomes among their pupils.Setting: This article describes an intervention service-cum-research project undertaken in three rural school districts of Zimbabwe.Method: Underpinned by the notion of change and lifelong learning, the intervention project deployed a modified cascade action research design to train 70 teacher leader mentors and 35 community leader mentors as drivers of the change in the three districts. Twelve of the 70 teacher leader mentors were further developed into expert status on numeracy pedagogy for continuity and sustainability of the change.Results: The service dimension of the project succeeded in infusing numeracy pedagogy in the schools’ instructional repertoires at the level of cultural practice within communities of practice.Conclusion: The main challenges faced in trying to implement pedagogy intended to foster mathematical numeracy are those related to costs, sustainability and continuity, some if not all of which can be dealt with through collaboration between experts, teachers and community.Contribution: The research dimension resulted in revealing a potentially powerful model of teacher continuing professional development characterised by fusing centre (district), school and community elements while retaining the cascade format. This model is worth exploring in similar and diverse school environments elsewhere.

Management of learners with conduct disorders in Nkayi Rural District Primary Schools in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe has adopted an inclusive education system in order to address barriers to learning for children with conduct disorders. The management of learners with conduct disorders is hampered by the lack of teachers’ skills and knowledge in guidance and counselling of learners with conduct disorders. In this paper, the researcher identifies the challenges in the management of learners with conduct disorders in Nkayi District primary schools and explores suggestions on the best and convenient ways of managing these learners. A qualitative research approach and a phenomenological research design were employed in which ten teachers in rural primary schools were interviewed to solicit their views, experiences and observations on the management of learners with conduct disorders in primary schools. The study concluded that the management of learners with conduct disorders in rural primary schools may not be successful without considerate guidance and counselling modalities in schools.

Teacher readiness to teach using ICT in classroom pedagogy in Zimbabwean primary schools

Teacher readiness to teach using ICT in classroom pedagogy in Zimbabwean primary schools

Reforming the school curriculum for Ubuntu (humanness)

School curriculum in post-colonial societies has been castigated, not only as alien and irrelevant, but as dehumanizing and marginalizing to the indigenous people. This study gleans insights into how Ubuntu (humanness) – a strand of indigenous African knowledge - is being implemented in Zimbabwe’s New Curriculum Framework 2015-2022. This qualitative desktop study, couched within the Southern Theory framework, teases the enactment of Ubuntu (or lack of it) in classroom practice. Critical discourse analysis was adopted as the research design in reviewing 15 studies published between 2016 and 2021 on the implementation of Ubuntu in Zimbabwean primary and secondary schools. Findings indicate that, while Ubuntu is espoused as the overarching reform philosophy, not much has been done to nurture classroom practice that promotes collective participation, communitarianism, humility, and love for humanity – the key principles of Ubuntu. This critical discourse shows that most teachers, because of their training, limited knowledge, urbanization and westernization, are not keen to practice Ubuntu in their classrooms. Paltry salaries and poor working conditions also demotivate most teachers from embracing curriculum change and experimenting with new ideas.

Scrutiny of Documentary Evidence of the Effectiveness of Staff Development Programmes in Zimbabwean Primary Schools: Implications for Quality Education

Scrutiny of Documentary Evidence of the Effectiveness of Staff Development Programmes in Zimbabwean Primary Schools: Implications for Quality Education

Scrutiny of Documentary Evidence of the Effectiveness of Staff Development Programmes in Zimbabwean Primary Schools: Implications for Quality Education

Scrutiny of Documentary Evidence of the Effectiveness of Staff Development Programmes in Zimbabwean Primary Schools: Implications for Quality Education