EVALUATION OF THE NZIRAMASANGA REPORT OF INQUIRY INTO EDUCATION IN ZIMBABWE, 1999: THE CASE OF GENDER EQUITY IN EDUCATION

ABSTRAC

A comparative study of Zimbabwe state universities’ responsiveness to the implementation of sexual harassment policies

The purpose of this study was to explore how state universities in Zimbabwe respond to the implementation of sexual harassment policies. Utilising a social constructivist and interpretive lens, this exploratory qualitative case study aimed at an in-depth study as well as a comparison of how various stakeholders respond to the implementation of sexual harassment policies in two selected state universities. Data collection methods took the form of key participant semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions and document analysis. Two research sites comprised the case study. The sample at each of the sites consisted of a registrar, two deans, two chairpersons, a counsellor, a nurse, a security officer, a warden, two student representative members, and three students. The data analysis consisted of hermeneutic, content and discourse analysis. The content of in-depth interviews, feedback on interpretations, and notes from the sexual harassment policies analysed were considered as data in the analysis. A number of findings emanated from this study. First, sexual harassment is prevalent in the two universities studied and remains a persistent problem. Sexual harassment occurs at three levels: that perpetrated on female students by male lecturers; that perpetrated by female students on male lecturers; and that perpetrated by male students on female students. Second, efforts to mitigate incidences of sexual harassment in the two universities are hampered by underreporting of the phenomenon, absence of very clear sexual harassment guidelines, fear of reprisals in the event of reporting sexual harassment incidences, as well as silence on zero tolerance to sexual harassment in the policies, ordinances and codes of conduct. Third, the presence of a sexual harassment policy on its own is not a guarantee of mitigating prevalence of the phenomenon. Transparent and anonymous reporting procedures, who to report to, what ought to be done to the harasser, the need for counselling the victim, public lectures on sexual harassment awareness and road shows could augment the need to mitigate incidences of sexual harassment in universities. The study revealed that whilst efforts have been made to mitigate sexual harassment incidences in the universities under study through sexual harassment policies, preventing and effectively addressing sexual harassment in the two universities is still a significant challenge, given the shortcomings regarding the responsiveness of stakeholders highlighted in the study. The need for a commitment on the part of all stakeholders in the universities, to take on board measures to prevent and respond to sexual harassment as well as promote a safe, respectful, inclusive and welcoming environment, cannot be overemphasised. The proposition is that orienting students and lecturers, among other stakeholders, to the universities’ cultures, policies as well as procedures for handling sexual harassment, could lead to a climate of zero tolerance towards the phenomenon. In other words, lecturers and students should be made responsible for mitigating as well as preventing sexual harassment.Lolu cwaningo beluhlose ukuphenya indlela amanyuvesi aseZimbabwe abhekana nayo mayelana nokusetshenziswa kwemigomo yokuhluknyezwa ngokocansi. Ngokusebenzisa umqondo obizwa phecelezi nge- (social constructivist nangeso lokuchaza (interpretive), lolu cwaningo lotho oluphenyayo olugxile phezu kwengxoxo, phecelezi(exploratory qualitative case study) beluqondiswe kucwaningo olujulile kanye nokuqhathanisa indlela abadlalindima abahlukahlukene ababhekana ngayo ekusetshenzisweni kwemigomo yokuhluknyezwa ngokwecansi kumanyuvesi ombuso amabili akhethiwe. Izindlela zokuqokelela idatha ziye zalandela indlela yenhlolovo ehlelwe ngokwesigamu exuba abadlalindima abasemqoka, ziye zalandela izingxoxo ezigxile kumaqembu aqondiwe futhi ziye zagxila ekuhlaziyeni imibhalo. Ucwaningo lotho lwenziwe ezikhungwini ezintathu. Kanti isampuli kwesinye nesinye isikhungo sinombhalisi, odini ababili, osihlalo ababili, umeluleki wezengqondo, umhlengikazi, ugadi, ujele, amalungu amabili abameli babafundi, kanye nabafundi abathathu. Idatha ehlaziyiwe yequkethe, ithiyori nendlela yokuchaza (hermeneutic), okuqukethwe kanye nomsebenzi wocwaningo ohlaziyiwe. Ulwazi oluqukethwe olumayelana nenhlolovo ejulile, umbiko wakamuva omayelana nezincazelo, kanye namanothi avela kwimigomo emayelana nokuhlukunyezwa ngokocansi, konke lokhu kuye kwathathwa njengedatha emsebenzini ohlaziyiwe. Kuye kwatholakala ulwazi oluvela kucwaningo. Okokuqala, ukuhlukunyezwa ngokocansi kuyisichelo njengomchilo wesidwaba kumanyuvesi amabili acwaningiwe kanti lezi zenzo zilokhu ziyinkinga engapheli. Ukuhlukunyezwa ngokocansi kwenzeka ngezigaba ezintathu, okuyizigaba ezibhebhetheka kubafundi besifazane behlukunyezwa ngabafundisi besilisa basemanyuvesi, kanti lezi zigameko zibhebhethekiswa ngabafundi abesifazane kubafundisi besilisa; kanti kuphinde futhi kubhebhethekiswe abafundi abesilisa kubafundi abesifazane. Okwesibili, Imizamo eqonde ukunciphisa izehlakalo zokuhlukunyezwa ngokocansi kumanyuvesi amabili ziphazanyiswa kungabikwa ngokugcwele kwalezi zehlakalo, ukusweleka kwemihlahlandlela ecacile yokuhlukunyezwa ngokocansi, ukwesaba ukubika lezi zehlakalo zokuhlukunyezwa ngokocansi ngenxa yokugxekwa, kanye nemigomo ethulile mayelana nokuhlukunyezwa ngokocansi, imitheshwana emalungana nalokhu yezifundazwe kanye nokusweleka kwemithetho yokuziphatha. Okwesithathu, ukuba khona nje komgomo obhekene nokuhlukunyezwa ngokocansi akusona isiqinisekiso sokunciphisa lezi zenzo zokuhlukumeza. Izingqubo ezikwishashalazi nezinemfihlo, ezimayelana nokuthi ubika kuphi, kanti kufanele ohlukumezayo athathelwe ziphi izinyathelo, isidingo sokuthi isiZulu sokuhlukunyezwa sithole ukwelulekwa ngokwengqondoukufundiswa komphakathi ngokwexwayiswa ngokuhlukunyezwa ngokocansi kanye nemibukiso kungagcwaliselela isidingo sokunciphisa izehlakalo zokuhlukunyezwa ngokocansi emanyuvesi. Ucwaningo luyaveza ukuthi njengoba sekwenziwe imizamo yokunciphisa izehlakalo zokuhlukunyezwa ngokocansi emanyuvesi acwaningwayo ngaphansi kwemigomo yokuhlukunyezwa ngokocansi, ukuvikela kanye nokudingida ngokufanele udaba lokuhlukunyezwa ngokocansi kumanyuvesi amabili kusese yinselelo enkulu, uma kubhekwa izihibhe ezikhona mayelana nokuzibandakanya kwabadlalindima kuvezwe kucwaningo. Isidingo sokuzimisela kwingxenye yabo bonke abadlalindima kumanyuvesi, ukuba balethe ngaphambili imizamo yokuvikela kanye nokubhekana nokuhlukunyezwa ngokocansi kanye nokwenza indawo ephephile, ehloniphekile, nexuba zonke izinhlaka futhi nendawo eyamukelayo, kuyinto ebaluleke kakhulu engeke yagqizwa qakala. Kuphakanyiswa ukuthi kufundiswe abafundi kanye nabafundisi, hlangana nabanye abadlalindima, ngosikompilo lwasenyuvesi, ngemigomo kanye nangezingqubo zokuphatha uhlelo lokuhlukunyezwa ngokocansi, kanti lokhu kungaholela ekwakheni isimo esingeke savumela lolu daba. Ngamanye amagama, abafundisi kanye nabafundi kufanele banikezwe umsebenzi wokunciphisa kanye nokuvikela izehlakalo zokuhlukunyezwa ngokocansi.Morero wa thutelo ye e be e le go utolla ka moo diyunibesithi tsa Zimbabwe tseo di thuswago ke mmuso di fetolago go phethagatso ya melaotshepetso ya tlaiso go tsa thobalano. Ka go dirisa tebelelo go ya ka go gola ga motho le tsebo yeo a e hwetsago ka tirisano le batho ba bangwe leagong le tlhathollo ya seo se ithutwago, tlhahlobo ye e tseneletsego ya go hlohlomisa tshedimoso ka ga tiragalo ye e ikemiseditse go thutelo ye e tseneletsego gammogo le papetso ya ka moo batho bao ba fapanego bao ba nago le kgahlego ba fetolago go phethagatso ya melaotshepetso ya tlaiso go tsa thobalano ka go diyunibesithi tse pedi tseo di kgethilwego tseo di thuswago ke mmuso. Mekgwatshepediso ya kgoboketso ya datha e tsere popego ya ditherisano le babotsiswa ba bohlokwa tseo di sa latelego dipotsiso tseo di beilwego, ditherisano le dihlopha tseo di nepisitswego le tshekatsheko ya ditokomane. Ditsha tse pedi tsa dinyakisiso di bile motheo wa thutelo ye. Sampolo ka go setsha se sengwe le se sengwe e be e na le moretsistara, dihlogo tse pedi tsa mafapha a thuto, badulasetulo ba babedi, mogakolodi, mooki, mohlankedi wa tshireletso, mohlapetsi, maloko a mabedi a kemedi ya baithuti, le baithuti ba bararo. Tshekatsheko ya datha e bopilwe ke tshekatsheko ya mekgwatshepediso ya ditlhathollo, diteng le ka moo polelo e diriswago gare ga batho. Diteng tsa ditherisano tseo di tseneletsego, dipego ka ga ditlhathollo, le dintlha go tswa go melaotshepediso ya tlaiso go tsa thobalano tseo di sekasekilwego di tserwe bjalo ka datha ye e sekasekwago. Go tsweletse dikhwetso tse mmalwa thutelong ye. Sa mathomo, tlaiso go tsa thobalano e atile diyunibesithing tse pedi tseo go ithutilwego ka tsona gomme e sa le bothata bjo bo tswelago pele. Tliso ya thobalano e direga go ya ka magato a mararo: leo bafahlosi ba dirago tiro ye e sego molaong ya go robala le baithuti ba basadi, leo le dirwago ke ge baithuti ba basadi ba robala le bafahlosi ba banna, le leo le dirwago ke ge baithuti ba banna ba robala le baithuti ba basadi. Sa bobedi, maitekelo a go fokotsa ditiragalo tsa tlaiso go tsa thobalano diyunibesithing tse pedi tse a sitiswa ke go se begwe ga ditiragalo tse ka mo go kgotsofatsago, tlhokego ya ditlhahlo tse di kwagalago gabotse tsa tlaiso go tsa thobalano, poifo ya boipuseletso ge motho a ka bega ditiragalo tsa tlaiso go tsa thobalano gammogo le ge melaotshepetso, melawana le melao ya boitshwaro di sa bolele selo ka magato ao a ka tsewago go ditiragalo tsa tlaiso go tsa thobalano. Sa boraro, go ba gona ga molaotshepetso wa tlaiso go tsa thobalano ka bowona ga se tiiso ya phokotso ya go ba gona ga tiragalo ye. Ditshepediso tseo di sa utego selo gape di sa utollego boitsupo bja motho, gore ke mang, yo dipego di swanetsego go lebiswa go yena, ke seo motlaisi a swanetswego go se dirwa, tlhokego ya gore motlaiswa a hwetse thuso go rarolla mathata a kgobatso maikutlong a gagwe, dithuto go setshaba ka moka ka ga temoso ya tlaiso, le dipontsho mafelong ao a fapanego di ka godisa tlhokego ya go fokotsa ditiragalo tsa tlaiso go tsa thobalano diyunibesithing. Thutelo e utollotse gore le ge go dirilwe maitekelo a go fokotsa ditiragalo tsa tlaiso go tsa thobalano diyunibesithing tseo thutelo e dirilwego go tsona ka mokgwa wa melaotshepetso ya tlaiso go tsa thobalano, go thibela le go rarolla bothata bja tlaiso go tsa thobalano ka bokgoni diyunibesithing tse pedi tse e sa le tlhohlo ye e bonalago, ge go lebeletswe bofokodi malebana le batho bao na nago le kgahlego bao ba supilwego thutelong ye. Tlhokego ya boikgafo lehlakoreng la batho ka moka yunibesithing bao ba nago le kgahlego go se, go hlagisa magato a go thibela le go araba go tlaiso go tsa thobalano gammogo le go hlola tikologo ye e bolokegilego, ye e hlomphago, e akaretsago gape e amogelago bohle ka matsogo a borutho, go bohlokwa go fetisa ka mo go hlalositswego. Tshisinyo ke go re go tsebisa baithuti le bafahlosi, gare ga batho ka moka bao ba nago le kgahlego, go ditlwaelo, melaotshepetso gammogo le ditshepediso tsa go rarolla tlaiso go tsa thobalano, go ka hlola tikologo yeo e sa kgotlelelego tiragalo yeo le gatee. Ka mantsu a mangwe, bafahlosi le baithuti ba swanetse go rweswa boikarabelo bja go fokotsa gammogo le go thibela tlaiso go tsa thobalano.Educational StudiesPh. D. (Comparative Education

Independent and combined effects of improved water, sanitation, and hygiene, and improved complementary feeding, on child stunting and anaemia in rural Zimbabwe: a cluster-randomised trial.

BACKGROUND: Child stunting reduces survival and impairs neurodevelopment. We tested the independent and combined effects of improved water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), and improved infant and young child feeding (IYCF) on stunting and anaemia in in Zimbabwe. METHODS: We did a cluster-randomised, community-based, 2 × 2 factorial trial in two rural districts in Zimbabwe. Clusters were defined as the catchment area of between one and four village health workers employed by the Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Child Care. Women were eligible for inclusion if they permanently lived in clusters and were confirmed pregnant. Clusters were randomly assigned (1:1:1:1) to standard of care (52 clusters), IYCF (20 g of a small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplement per day from age 6 to 18 months plus complementary feeding counselling; 53 clusters), WASH (construction of a ventilated improved pit latrine, provision of two handwashing stations, liquid soap, chlorine, and play space plus hygiene counselling; 53 clusters), or IYCF plus WASH (53 clusters). A constrained randomisation technique was used to achieve balance across the groups for 14 variables related to geography, demography, water access, and community-level sanitation coverage. Masking of participants and fieldworkers was not possible. The primary outcomes were infant length-for-age Z score and haemoglobin concentrations at 18 months of age among children born to mothers who were HIV negative during pregnancy. These outcomes were analysed in the intention-to-treat population. We estimated the effects of the interventions by comparing the two IYCF groups with the two non-IYCF groups and the two WASH groups with the two non-WASH groups, except for outcomes that had an important statistical interaction between the interventions. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01824940. FINDINGS: Between Nov 22, 2012, and March 27, 2015, 5280 pregnant women were enrolled from 211 clusters. 3686 children born to HIV-negative mothers were assessed at age 18 months (884 in the standard of care group from 52 clusters, 893 in the IYCF group from 53 clusters, 918 in the WASH group from 53 clusters, and 991 in the IYCF plus WASH group from 51 clusters). In the IYCF intervention groups, the mean length-for-age Z score was 0·16 (95% CI 0·08-0·23) higher and the mean haemoglobin concentration was 2·03 g/L (1·28-2·79) higher than those in the non-IYCF intervention groups. The IYCF intervention reduced the number of stunted children from 620 (35%) of 1792 to 514 (27%) of 1879, and the number of children with anaemia from 245 (13·9%) of 1759 to 193 (10·5%) of 1845. The WASH intervention had no effect on either primary outcome. Neither intervention reduced the prevalence of diarrhoea at 12 or 18 months. No trial-related serious adverse events, and only three trial-related adverse events, were reported. INTERPRETATION: Household-level elementary WASH interventions implemented in rural areas in low-income countries are unlikely to reduce stunting or anaemia and might not reduce diarrhoea. Implementation of these WASH interventions in combination with IYCF interventions is unlikely to reduce stunting or anaemia more than implementation of IYCF alone. FUNDING: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, UK Department for International Development, Wellcome Trust, Swiss Development Cooperation, UNICEF, and US National Institutes of Health.The SHINE trial is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP1021542 and OPP113707); UK Department for International Development; Wellcome Trust, UK (093768/Z/10/Z, 108065/Z/15/Z and 203905/Z/16/Z); Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation; US National Institutes of Health (2R01HD060338-06); and UNICEF (PCA-2017-0002)

An evaluation of the implementation of the national gender policy in teacher education in Zimbabwe

Abstract,The study sought to evaluate the implementation of the 2003 National Gender Policy in teacher education colleges in Zimbabwe. A survey design was employed. Five teacher education colleges inclusive of their principals, 16 Heads of Departments and 10 Student Representative Committee members constituted the study sample. Questionnaires were used to collect data. Principals, Heads of Departments and Student Representative Council members responded to the questionnaires. 15 of these respondents were also interviewed. Findings revealed that teacher education colleges do not have own college gender policies, had not engendered their curricula as well as their budgets. Female students far outnumbered male students. Males dominated decision- making positions at student, lecturer and non-lecturing levels. The study concluded that teacher education colleges as part of the education and training sector had not fully implemented the National Gender Policy. It is recommended that the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education through teacher education colleges should gender mainstream all their policies, programmes and activities

An evaluation of the implementation of the national gender policy in teacher education in Zimbabwe

Abstract,The study sought to evaluate the implementation of the 2003 National Gender Policy in teacher education colleges in Zimbabwe. A survey design was employed. Five teacher education colleges inclusive of their principals, 16 Heads of Departments and 10 Student Representative Committee members constituted the study sample. Questionnaires were used to collect data. Principals, Heads of Departments and Student Representative Council members responded to the questionnaires. 15 of these respondents were also interviewed. Findings revealed that teacher education colleges do not have own college gender policies, had not engendered their curricula as well as their budgets. Female students far outnumbered male students. Males dominated decision- making positions at student, lecturer and non-lecturing levels. The study concluded that teacher education colleges as part of the education and training sector had not fully implemented the National Gender Policy. It is recommended that the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education through teacher education colleges should gender mainstream all their policies, programmes and activities

An evaluation of the implementation of the national gender policy in teacher education in Zimbabwe

AbstractThe study sought to evaluate the implementation of the 2003 National Gender Policy in teacher education colleges in Zimbabwe. A survey design was employed. Five teacher education colleges inclusive of their principals, 16 Heads of Departments and 10 Student Representative Committee members constituted the study sample. Questionnaires were used to collect data. Principals, Heads of Departments and Student Representative Council members responded to the questionnaires. 15 of these respondents were also interviewed. Findings revealed that teacher education colleges do not have own college gender policies, had not engendered their curricula as well as their budgets. Female students far outnumbered male students. Males dominated decision- making positions at student, lecturer and non-lecturing levels. The study concluded that teacher education colleges as part of the education and training sector had not fully implemented the National Gender Policy. It is recommended that the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education through teacher education colleges should gender mainstream all their policies, programmes and activities

Factors Affecting Completion of Research Projects by Students: A study of Three Zimbabwe Open University Regions

The study sought to find out undergraduate students and research supervisors’ views on factors affecting the completion of research projects by Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) students. Student, supervisor and institutional related factors were the focus of the study. Descriptive survey method was used in the study due to the normative nature of the data collected. Questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data. The sample of the study comprised 50 students who had failed to complete their research projects on schedule as well as 24 research project supervisors. Convenience sampling was used in selection of the students. Supervisors available at the time of the study formed part of the sample. Findings were that the time given to students to do their research project was inadequate. Lack of library, Internet and typing facilities as well as finance for travelling to and from the supervisor hampered students’ research progress. The study concluded that student and institutional factors contributed to failure by students to complete their research projects on schedule. The study recommends that the university should allow students more time to do research projects; over three semesters

Stakeholders' perceptions about causes of students' poor performance in secondary schools in the Lower Gweru Circuit in Zimbabwe

The purpose of the study was to determine stakeholders’ perceptions about causes of students’ poor performance in the secondary schools of the Lower Gweru Circuit in Zimbabwe. The major question that guided the research was how stakeholders perceived causes of students’ poor performance in the secondary schools of the Lower Gweru circuit in Zimbabwe. Consistent with the post modern research paradigm that underlined this study, both qualitative and quantitative designs were used. Schools were randomly selected and respondents were purposively sampled. Questionnaires and interviews were the main tools for data collection. The study found out that all odds in the Lower Gweru circuit were against students’ achievement. As a consequence of low remuneration and lack of incentives, teachers had given up attending fully to their classes. Teachers’ motivation was at its lowest ebb. Students were, as a result, left to their own devices. Strained relationships between students and teachers as well as between teachers and community left the students at an academic disadvantage. Poor parental support in terms of material and financial resources galvanized the students’ disadvantage and further eroded their academic achievement. On instructional supervision, data gathered pointed to a laissez-faire approach that started from the region and cascaded down to school heads and to teachers. In the light of these findings it was suggested that improving the nation’s lowest performing schools should be a national priority. There is need for schools with a track record of chronic failure to be transformed and turned around