Primary schools’ efforts to raise learners’ performance in Kwekwe, Zimbabwe = Imizamo yezikole zamazinga aphansi yokuphakamisa ukusebenza kwabafundi eKwekwe, eZimbabwe.

Abstract

The aim of the study was to explore primary school’s efforts to raise learners’ academic performance in Kwekwe district, Zimbabwe. It centred on the efforts by teachers in three primary schools to raise their learners’ academic performance against the backdrop of results-based management (RBM) and a new curriculum (introduced progressively since 2017). The results based management approach in education sector seeks to improve service delivery and produce credible learner academic performance results. These efforts were found to be spearheaded by individual teachers in consultation with school management and they became the unit of analysis. Expectancy theory of Motivation, Factor theory of Motivators and Performance Improvement theory were theories providing a framework to understand teachers’ efforts. Curriculum Change Management theory informed teachers’ behaviour in curriculum implementation. An interpretive research paradigm using a qualitative approach was employed. A multi-case study was undertaken, using semi- structured interviews, observations and document reviews. Thematic content analysis was used. The findings revealed novel ideas like holiday camps, extra morning lessons and project-based learning as strategies for improving learners’ academic performance. There were also mixed feelings about RBM and a lack of ownership by teachers of the new curriculum. There was a deeply embedded results orientation to lessons as prescribed by the dictates of RBM, which led to maladaptive teaching which promoted purely instrumental rather than intrinsic educational values. The study established 5 pathways for academic performance improvement in schools. A framework of redress is proposed based on 4 avenues of justice for the schools: recognitional, procedural, distributive and compensatory.

Iqoqa.

Inhloso yocwaningo wukuhlola imizamo yesikole samabanga aphansi ukukhuphula ukusebenza kwabafundi ezifundweni esifundeni iKwekwe eZimbambwe. Ucwaningo belugxile emizamweni yothisha ezikoleni ezintathu zamabanga aphansi ukukhuphula ukusebenza kwabafundi ezifundweni zabo ngokuqhathaniswa kwemiphumela yakamuva egxile ekuphatheni (RBM) nasohlelweni olusha lwezifundo (olwethulwe ngokuqhubekayo kwebanga ngalinye kusukela ngowezi-2017). Le mizamo kwatholakala ukuthi iholwa wuthisha ngamunye ekuxhumaneni nabaphathi besikole bese kanjalo-ke baba yimbumba yokuhlaziya. Indlela yokuphatha egxile emiphumeleni yomkhakha kwezemfundo ifuna ukwenza ngcono ukulethwa kwesidingo nokukhiqiza imiphumela eyethembekile yokusebenza komfundi ezifundweni eZimbambwe. Injulalwazi/theory i-Expectancy of Motivation, iFactor theory of Motivation nePerfomance Improvement theory kube yizinjulalwazi ezibalulekile ezihlinzeke uhlaka ukuqonda ngemizamo eyenziwa ngothisha ukukhuphula ukusebenza kwabafundi ezifundweni. Ithiyori Curriculm Change Management/Ithiyori Yokuphathwa Kokuguqulwa Kwekharikhulamu yamenyezelwa nguFullan (2006 ecashunwe kuJalagat, 2016) inolwazi ngokuziphatha kothisha ekuqalisweni kwekharikhulamu entsha. Indlela yocwaningo ibihumusha futhi kwaqoshwa indlela yekhwalithethivu. Udaba okucwaningwe ngalo lwenziwa, kusetshenziswa lamathuluzi alandelayo: inhlolomibono ehlelwe ingxenye, ukuzibonela mathupha nokubukeza imibhalo. Ukuhlaziya okuqukethwe kwengqikithi kwasetshenziselwa ukuhlaziya imininingo. Okutholiwe ngamasu okwenza ngcono ukusebenza kwabafundi ezifundweni kudalule ukuthi imicabango emisha njengekhefu lokuhlukanisa, izifundo ezengeziwe zasekuseni nemiklamo egxile ekufundeni kodwa abanye othisha babethatha isikhathi esifanele sokwenza okuhambisana nekharikhulamu nezinye izifundo ezengeziwe zekharikhulamu ukufundisa izifundo ezihlolwayo. Okutholiwe kuveza imizwa eyehlukene ngeRBM futhi nokwentuleka kobunikazi ngothisha kohlelo olusha lwekharikhulamu kwakukhona imiphumela eshuthekwe ngokujulile ezifundweni ezigunyaziwe ngokwemiyalo yeRBM, eholela ekufundiseni okunganele/maladaptive teaching okuqhakambisa ngokucacile okuwusizo kunobugugu bangaphakathi bemfundo. Ukugxila kothisha futhi nezikole, bekungukuqhakambisa ‘ukufunda ekuhloleni’ futhi “nokufundela ukuhlola’ ngenxa yezilinganiso zesikole futhi nezinzuzo zemali zothisha abanamakilasi asebenzayo ezifundweni. Kube khona futhi ukusala kwesimo esabekwa obala saholela ezinselelweni ezikhethekile kothisha ngalokho-ke ubulungiswa besimo sesikole bubalulekile. Ucwaningo luqhamuke nezindlela ezi-5 zokwenza ngcono ukusebenza kwezemfundo ezikoleni ngokuqhathanisa nokwasemuva kweRBM nehlelo olusha lwemfundo. Uhlaka lokulungiswa kweRBM nohlelo olusha lwezemfundo luyahlongozwa ngokugxila ezindleleni ezi-4 zobulungiswa ezikoleni; eyokuqaphelekayo, eyenqubo, eyokusabalalisa neyokunxephezela. Ucwaningo luhlinzeka iziphakamiso maqondana namaqhinga okusebenza komfundi ezifundweni, iRBM, nokuqaliswa kwekharikhulamu entsha.