Challenges of Science Teaching and Learning in Rural Day Secondary Schools in Zimbabwe

CHALLENGES OF SCIENCE TEACHING AND LEARNING IN RURAL DAY SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ZIMBABWE

Alois S. Chiromo1

ABSTRACT Effective science teaching and learning in Zimbabwean rural day secondary schools has been under threat since 1980. It is not known what specific challenges are faced in these schools. The aim of this study was to find out the challenges faced by rural day secondary school science teachers in Gweru district of Zimbabwe in 2007. Questionnaires, in- terviews and observations were used to collect data pertaining to the challenges that were faced by the teachers. Results showed that rural day secondary school science teachers in Zimbabwe were faced by the following challenges: (i), inadequate teaching and learning facilities, as indicated by 100% of the respondents; (ii), students’ negative attitudes towards science, as identified by 22.7% of the respondents; (iii), the existence of conflicts between students’ home background and school science, as noted by 13.6% of the respondents; and (iv), the absence of science teachers’ associations, as reported by 68.2% of the respondents. It was concluded that rural day secondary school science teachers in Zimbabwe faced many challenges. It was recommended that: (i), teachers should be innovative and improvise science teaching and learning materials where pos- sible, instead of waiting to be supplied with conventional apparatus; (ii) teachers should act as cultural brokers to resolve conflicts between students’ home background and school science concepts, by using students’ local and indigenous knowledge as a starting point for the exploration of scientific ideas; and (iii), teachers should form science associations, where they can share ideas on contemporary issues in science teaching.

1 Department of Applied Education, Midlands State University, Gweru, Zimbabwe. Email: [email protected]