Computerization of Rural Schools in Zimbabwe: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable

Development: The Case of Chipinge District, South-East Zimbabwe

Shoorai Konyana

Mkoba Teachers’ College, Zimbabwe

Elias G. Konyana

Great Zimbabwe University, Zimbabwe

Abstract

In this paper we seek to explain the relevance of introducing Computer Studies in Zimbabwe’s rural
schools as a means to reduce the access to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) gap
between rural and urban schools. We acknowledge the efforts of various stakeholders in education in
introducing the Information and Communication Technology curriculum in rural schools in the last ten or
so years as a commitment to bringing Science and Technology to the rural pupil. In addition, we further
explore the progress that has been made by rural schools that received computers from the
Government over the years. In the process, however, we observe that most rural schools have not fully
embraced the ICT curriculum owing to a number of challenges. Thus, we contend in this paper that most
rural schools that received donated computers had not been capacitated to fully utilise the new
technology for the benefit of students, teachers and the community. As a result, most of the gadgets
have been lying idle in classrooms due to lack of either proper infrastructural facilities such as computer
laboratories and electricity as well as lack of trained ICT teachers. In the final submission, we implore
stakeholders in education to facilitate ICT development in rural schools in Zimbabwe so as to increase
access, quality and equity in education for sustainable rural development in Southern Africa. The study
was qualitative in nature and relied on interviews, observations and use of the questionnaire. Using the
theoretical paradigm of curriculum change and innovation, the study revealed that the use of computers
for pedagogical purposes is very low in rural schools in Zimbabwe. Basing on this, the research
recommends a multi sectoral approach involving government, private sector, parastatals and other
stake holders to ensure that students in rural schools benefit from the new technology.

Keywords: Information and Communication Technology, Computer Studies, rural schools.

Introduction and Background to the Study

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) put in place by the United Nations in 2000 highlighted the
importance of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the global development agenda. The
last of the MDGs, goal number eight, implies the need to ensure that the benefits of new technologies,
especially ICTs, are made accessible to all for the success of sustainable development. Production of
information and knowledge is growing at a tremendous pace and ICT serve as a transmission belt in
generation, dissemination and sharing of knowledge (Anderson, 2008). The education sector plays a key
role in information and knowledge production hence the need to ensure that all teachers and students
are part and parcel of this trend. Zimbabwe, as a developing nation, needs to be part of this new
dispensation and this means integrating ICT processes into the education system. There is little doubt
that Zimbabwe’s education sector is missing out on the benefits of ICT, especially in the rural areas. As
the country lags behind in the adoption, use and innovation of ICT, Kachembere (2011), observes that
many students and teachers are losing out on better education and well-paying ICT jobs. It is through
this realisation that some schools in Chipinge district in Zimbabwe are striving to seize this opportunity
to exploit the benefits of ICT for the purpose of teaching and learning. Their efforts are informed by the
understanding that ICT in education is a significant key driver for pupil achievement through enhanced
production of information and knowledge. The effective use of ICT in education also has the potential to
enhance achievement among students through greater collaboration, improved communication and
opening of wider opportunities to share information (Victoria, 2011).

From a broader perspective, the benefits from advances in ICTs could also mean an acceleration of
economic and social development and greater inclusion of isolated, particularly rural populations, into
the mainstream of society (Kabanda 2012). In Zimbabwe, ICT in education is not a very widespread
phenomenon, particularly considering rural settings where most schools are not connected to electrical
power supply and where some schools hardly have any buildings to house the computers. In fact,
Zimbabwe remains at the bottom ten of ICT Network Readiness Index (Reddi, 2004). Chipinge district is
largely rural with the majority of the schools unable to offer Computer Studies due to non-connectivity
to electrical power supply. This therefore means that teaching and learning has largely remained rooted
in the traditional models of delivery. However, traditional systems of teaching and learning have long
been outpaced and outstripped by new and dynamic trends. The traditional concept of schooling inside
the walls of brick and mortar has been superseded by the spectacle of schooling without walls.
Conventional learning set-ups have been overtaken by digital environments and the face-to-face mode
of tuition delivery is fast being replaced by online articulated learning and knowledge delivery methods
(Kachembere 2011). Education experts however argue that bringing ICT into the learning environment
will create opportunities for broader education initiatives that will bring all students into the information
era. In an effort to bring the potentially empowering benefits of ICT to the students, the government of
Zimbabwe embarked on a massive drive to turn around the education sector by donating state of the art
computers to many schools around the country mainly in the rural areas. Connected with that was an
effort to train Computer Studies teachers who were badly needed in the schools. To that end, many
teacher training colleges, both primary and secondary were mandated to train Computer Studies
teachers or to offer computer appreciation courses to their student teachers among the programmes
they offered. It should be noted, however, that for the past decade or so, Zimbabwe has been limping
under the effects of an economic recession which seriously crippled the education sector and also made
the country lag behind in this vast digital revolution (BWPI, 2009). Some schools have, however, made
significant progress towards harnessing computer technology for the purpose of teaching and learning.
This effort has not been without its challenges. Some of the major challenges that schools in the district
and Zimbabwe in general are facing are largely associated with the prohibitive costs of purchase and
maintenance of computers in the schools. Some schools located in the remote parts of the country have
also generally failed to attract not only qualified Computer Studies teachers but qualified teachers for
other disciplines as well. After graduating from high school or from tertiary institutions worldwide,
graduates are expected to join the working fraternity which hitherto has seen a rise in the demand for
computer skills It is vital therefore, that all students, whether in urban or rural settings, are equipped
with the necessary ICT skills to fully empower them to participate in the highly digitalised world from a
young age. All sectors of education from primary, secondary to university as well as vocational and skills-
based education need to harness ICT.

This study therefore sought to ascertain the level of computer use among students in the district as well
as to examine whether teachers and heads appreciated the rationale of introducing computer studies in
their schools. In most developing countries, educational institutions are facing increasing demand to
produce intellectual skills that meet the challenges and goals of a rapidly changing and globalized world
order. In Zimbabwe, the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into Education and Training, headed by
Nziramasanga (1999) endorsed that, as Zimbabwe enters into the third millennium which is dominated
by economic competitiveness and communication technology, the State is required to revamp or change
and innovate its educational curriculum and provide relevant technological equipment to enable
students to develop skills that are essential for a technological age. For any curriculum to remain
relevant to the people it serves, it has to continue to serve the needs and interests of those people. If
the curriculum of Zimbabwe endeavours to remain relevant to the people of Zimbabwe, it should
embrace the technological change brought about by ICT that is prevalent in the society.

Conceptual Framework

The study concerns itself with curriculum issues: change or innovation and curriculum content
organization. For any curriculum to remain relevant to the people’s expectations, it has to continue to
serve the needs and interests of its beneficiaries (Fullan 1993). In the case of Computer Studies, rural
secondary school students are the beneficiaries. Arguments were often advanced concerning whether
the curriculum should continually change or remain static. Two contrasting theories emerge to this end.
Some notable classical educationists like Plato were of the idea that the curriculum was a fixed and
static device for bringing about the desired educational processes. During his era (and to a certain extent
even today), there were in-built devices to ensure permanence rather than to permit or promote change
and this has always presented threats and challenges to curricula reform.
On the other hand, modern times have witnessed shifts and turns in the curricula provision in different
education systems. The justification presented being that society is in a constant state of flux. It is not
static, but is ever changing in terms of value, belief, and knowledge systems, and a host of contemporary
pressures that demand change in society. Fullan (1991, p. 3) supported the need for change when he
said, “Everything must change at one time or another or else a static society will evolve.” The support
for a static curriculum has long been dispensed with in all the progressive societies, though there still
remain products of arguments in support of the traditional view of an absolutist stable curriculum as
opposed to a relativist curriculum. Based on the view that curriculum is relative to the needs of the
society and should seek to change as those needs change, the theory underlying change is, therefore,
justified and curriculum change, like any other change in any other sphere of life, is as necessary as it is
inevitable. This view provides the theoretical background of this study on the computerisation of the
rural secondary school curriculum. If the secondary school curriculum is to remain relevant, it should
embrace the technological change in the society by equipping its products (students) with the relevant
computer skills so that they fit well in the labour market and in industry and commerce.

Based on the ongoing argument, implementation of Computer Studies as a subject in rural secondary
schools as a curriculum reform or innovation is justified provided it is done in line with these principles
of change. However, the tendency in post independence Zimbabwean curriculum reform is that it tends
to be piece-meal and spontaneous (Nkomo 1995), resulting in what “pot hole sealing” or what
curriculum experts identify as stop gap measures. Curriculum that comes out of such circumstances
tends to be disjointed, poorly organised and often lacks proper rationalisation, leading to passive
resistance or total “tissue rejection” by the user community.

This article is also rooted in the issue of equity and equality of provision of educational resources and
access to the same curriculum implementation by all Zimbabwean secondary school students. It also
seeks to explore the rationale behind the introduction of Computer Studies as a curriculum
improvement for rural secondary schools in Zimbabwe. It articulates as well as defends the relevance of
Computer Studies to students attending rural secondary schools, arguing that these students from poor
backgrounds should also have access to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the same
way as their urban counterparts. Feldman (1993) maintains that the 20th century has largely been
dominated by a techno-centric educational paradigm shift for most countries in the world. This is
particularly true in the case of the use of computers, with emphasis on learning about technology in
order to meet the perceived needs of contemporary life. Thus, the rural and urban students have to face
this reality inevitably, hence the need for students attending poor rural schools to access knowledge of
ICT as well.
Statement of the Problem and Research Questions

The knowledge of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has become the must-have breed
of knowledge for many a school leaver in the recent years. This was comparatively easy for the pupil in
an urban environment owing to his/her closeness to a number of institutions offering Computer Studies.
The pupil in a rural setup has lagged behind in accessing ICT knowledge because computers are not
readily available. This has greatly disadvantaged the rural school pupil, hence the underlying principle
behind the introduction of Computer Studies as a subject in rural secondary schools. However, the
following research questions became critical as they formed this study’s basis for considering the extent
to which the computerisation of the rural secondary school was feasible:

What is the level of Chipinge district rural secondary schools’ preparedness to include or add Computer
Studies to their curriculum?

How many student teachers per intake take up Computer Studies as a subject/course of study at teacher
training colleges and how many of these teachers are deployed to rural secondary schools?

What is the perception of school heads, teachers and the community towards Information and
Communication Technology (ICT) in general and Computer Studies in particular?

How does the Ministry of Education, Sport, Art and Culture promote the implementation of Computer
Studies in rural secondary schools?

What is the role of politicians in promoting the teaching and learning of Computer Studies in rural
secondary schools?

Who are the beneficiaries of the introduction of Computer Studies in rural secondary schools?

The above research questions were carefully raised to inform the study’s quest to explore the rationale
behind the introduction of Computer Studies in the rural secondary school curriculum. The questions are
also set to unearth some of the underlying issues that affect the implementation of computer studies in
most rural secondary schools.

Research Design

The success of any research depends on the choice of the methodological framework and the research
design used to carry out that research. This is further emphasised by Mavhunga (2000) when he says
that an appropriate research design provides a systematic strategy and plan for selecting, rationalising
and organising the sequence of procedures for collecting and handling the evidence or information
relevant to solve the research problem. For this article, we chose the case study methodology
framework which lends itself more to the qualitative research paradigm or design. We have the
confidence of Hitchcock and Hughes (1995, p. 26) who maintain that:
…the process of education, teaching and learning are so complex and multifaceted that to focus only
upon cause and effect, products, outcomes or correlations on research in schools is of limited value. The
complexity of the education process demands the use of a variety of techniques and the qualitative
research design becomes the most appropriate paradigm.

Of the same perspective are Cohen, Manion, and Morrison (2007) who expound that educational
phenomena, by their nature, lend themselves more to interpretive analyses, hence are best explored by
use of case studies. Yin (1994) further argues that a case study is most suitable as a research design in
education for it is an enquiry into the real life issues as opposed to the contrived contexts of an
experiment or a survey. Furthermore, the case study design was employed in this article because it is
the only qualitative research design that displays the belief that human systems develop a characteristic
wholeness or integrity and are not simply loose connections of traits. As a result of this belief,
researchers who use case studies hold that to understand a case, to explain why things happen as they
do, and generalise or predict with certainty from a sample of cases, require an in-depth investigation of
the interdependencies of parts or samples and of the patterns that emerge thereof.

Population and Sampling

The study population consisted of 100 teachers and ten (10) school heads from which a sample of 50
teachers and five (5) school heads was chosen. The five schools were purposively chosen on the basis of
their different responsible authorities and the fact that the schools are located in reasonably different
geographical areas. Two government day schools (urban and peri urban), one rural council day school,
one rural mission boarding school, and one rural private boarding school formed the sample. This was
meant to provide diverse views regarding the level of computer use in the schools because as conditions
differ geographically or otherwise, experiences are also bound to differ. These five schools were
considered to be relatively well established schools in Chipinge district and therefore were in a position
to provide traceable records of computer establishment processes in their schools. It was also noted
that the schools were examination centres for the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (ZIMSEC)
subject examinations, excluding Computer Studies. Schools which offered Computer Studies but were
not host to ZIMSEC examinations in Computer Studies did not qualify to be part of the sample.

Schools were put into tiers based on their geographical location and responsible authority and one
school was randomly chosen from each stratum. At each school, the names of the teachers were put
into two separate boxes one for males and the other for females, the names were then picked at
random. Four males and four females were selected for questionnaires. Using the same method, one
male and one female were selected for interviews. This brought the total number of respondents to ten
teachers per school. Stratified random sampling was thus very useful in ensuring gender balance. The
researchers chose to interview two teachers per school, that is, one Computer Studies teacher and a
non-Computer Studies teacher. This was meant to validate some of the information gathered from the
questionnaire. It was hoped that more detailed information could be solicited from computer literate
teachers who were charged with the task of teaching Computer Studies on a daily basis.

Research Methodology and Data Collection

The research was qualitative and heavily relied on interviews and use of the questionnaire. In order to
understand the determinants of computer use for teaching and learning, the feelings, opinions, attitudes
and perceptions of the participants in the study, had to be taken into account. Teachers and heads as
human beings have feelings, emotions, and perceptions and the qualitative research model is suitable to
probe such inner feelings. Through interviewing both the teachers and the heads, the study was thus
able to gather in-depth data on the level of computer use, impediments to effective implementation of
computer studies subject in some schools, and the extent to which teachers and heads appreciated the
need to offer the subject in their schools. The data obtained through interviews was analysed manually.
Although the study preponderantly used the qualitative model, quantitative data was also collected in
the process. This in line with Cohen et al (2007) who assert that a number of social researchers have
since realised the need to use both types of data (mixed methods approach) if a true picture about a
phenomenon is to be revealed. In this research, quantitative data that was gathered included statistics
relating to classes taking computers, number of computers in the respective schools, number of
qualified ICT teachers, and the ratio of students to computers. This was meant to generate a hypothesis
on the extent to which computers were used for teaching and learning in the schools. The data collected
using the questionnaires was analysed using the Statistical Packages for Social Scientists (SPSS) Version
16.0.

Data Collection Instruments

The research made use of three instruments to collect the data for this article, namely interviews,
document analysis, and observation strategy. The instruments were used concurrently in order to
increase the validity of the research outcome. This is in line with Cohen et al (2007)’s contention that if
two or more different data collection instruments are used, then the validity of the research results is
not only increased but assured. A brief presentation of how each of the three instruments was used is
included below.

Interviews. Each of the identified participants was approached by the authors with interview protocols
or set of interview questions which were open-ended. The interview protocols had spaces at the end of
each question to allow the authors to write down reflective notes on how the participant responded. At
the same time, the open-ended questions had the advantage of offering the participants a wider scope
of flexibility. For each question, the authors had an opportunity to follow up on any revealing leads given
by the participants. In this respect, Mavhunga (1998) posits that probing the participants further may
help clear the misunderstandings and misconceptions that may arise.

Document Analysis. We visited all the five participating rural secondary schools and asked to look at all
documents related to infrastructural developments, curricula, enrolment patterns, and pass rates. The
documents identified provided additional information regarding the level of preparedness to offer
Computer Studies prior to receiving the computers.

The Observation Strategy. During the visits to the five rural secondary schools we also had the
advantage and opportunity to record information picked up through the participant observation
strategy. We were able to identify the attitude of various participants towards the introduction of
Computer Studies and the availability of computers at their school.

Results and Discussion. On the issue of whether the schools used computers for administrative
purposes, all five (5) heads (100%) indicated that use of computers was crucial for the running of the
school. The heads cited various areas for which computers were being used in the administration of
their schools.

Table 1. Functions of Computers in the School Administration School

Rural School

Number of computers prior to Government donation

Function of computers in the school

School A
1

Keeping financial records and typing administration material like students and staff records.

School B

Typing administrative documents like minutes and circulars.

School C

Typing examination materials, making exam schedules and the school timetable.

School D

Keeping enrolment figures, typing and performing other administrative functions.

School E

2
Typing the timetable, exams and keeping school records.

Sentiments raised by the heads revealed that despite some challenges that the schools were facing,
computers were being used to perform administrative work of which the most common was typing and
storing administrative and financial records. Heads from two government schools indicated that since
they had very few computers and considering the high pupil- computer ratio which stood at about one
computer per forty students, it was prudent to allocate most of the computers to the students and
retain only a few for administrative work. The heads also indicated that most schools did not have the
resources to purchase enough computers for the whole school. Some schools benefitted from donations
made by the Government, their School Development Committees (SDCs), and individual parents.

Use of Computers for Teaching and Learning across the Curriculum

In response to the issue of whether computers were being used across the curriculum, the majority of
the interviewed teachers (74%) indicated that computers were not being utilised in all facets of the
curriculum. They indicated that the use of the computers must spread across all subject areas, other
than just being used as instructional tools in a single subject area. In fact, the teachers observed that
computers were being utilised solely for Computer Studies lessons. It should be noted, however, that
through utilisation of suitable software, computers could be used to teach subjects like Mathematics,
Science, Geography, Art, Physics, Biology and other subjects.

General Trends in Rural Schools

It emerged from the data collected that most of the rural secondary schools that received computers
from the Government were not prepared to start offering Computer Studies to students. While the
computers were welcome, the school Heads submitted that the computers became a big liability to the
schools. The major reason was that the schools had no proper computer laboratories to house the
computers. In the majority of the cases a classroom had to be converted into computer laboratory and
the school had to spend some money adjusting the rooms to accommodate the computers. At two of
the five rural secondary schools electricity was not available in the school buildings. The schools had to
expedite the electrification of at least one building or block (room) where the computers would be kept.

All the five rural secondary schools had no qualified Computer Studies (ICT) teacher, let alone the
Computer Studies syllabus. This meant that some teachers with basic computer knowledge were asked
to chip in and help teach students computer appreciation skills. The Education Officers (staffing) also
lamented the situation at most of these schools saying that there was nothing they could do to assist
with providing trained Computer Studies teachers apart from waiting for the deployment of such
teachers from the provincial office. They said the district office did not receive any Computer Studies
specialists deployed to the district year in and year out and that meant the schools had to improvise.

To make the situation worse, most teachers’ colleges do not train teachers specifically in Computer
Studies. It is only recently that one college, Mutare Teachers' College, began training teachers of
Computer Studies. It is hoped that when the first intake of student teachers specialising in Computer
Studies complete their teacher training course, the problem of shortage of Computer Studies teachers
will be alleviated.

Introducing Computer Studies in Rural Schools: A Technological Imperative

Computer Studies is one of the numerous practical subjects in the Zimbabwean secondary school
curriculum. It is regarded as a technical or vocational subject that is taught at poly-technical
institutions, colleges, and universities as Information and Communication Technology (ICT) throughout
the country. Most of the graduates from these colleges are absorbed by many institutions that deal with
ICT as well as industry. Thus, Computer Studies has become one of the many vocational subjects that
create employment opportunities for many school leavers.

This is in response to the post-independent Zimbabwean high unemployment rate which was attributed
to the failure by the school curriculum to “…reward with opportunities those who went through it” (The
Sunday Mail, 15 June 1997). The argument was that the school curriculum was too academic and
insufficient to foster total human development. To this end, a philosophy purporting that education
needs to stress more skills training in order to address manpower shortages in the technical categories
of labour has emerged (UNESCO Monograph, 1994; Ndawi 1997). Thus the introduction of Computer
Studies in rural secondary schools is relevant as it further buttresses the integration of vocational
training in the secondary school curriculum. The following points can also be presented as the rationale
behind the introduction of Computer Studies in rural secondary schools:

To equip rural school leavers with knowledge and technical/vocational skills useful in an age of
increasing technological advancement to enable them to contribute to national and international
development.

To transmit knowledge, skills, and attitudes useful in both employment seeking and employment
creation. This assists in addressing the wake of unemployment levels for secondary school leavers in
many developing countries such as Zimbabwe.
To re-orient secondary school students’ attitude of their rural school setups and communities so that
the students become positive about their potentialities, thereby halting the rural-urban migration.

The above points justify the introduction of Computer Studies in the rural secondary school curriculum
from an instrumental and occupational point of view which is encapsulated in the idea of a worthwhile
education as vouched by R.S. Peters (1986).

Recommendations

On the basis of the foregoing research findings, this study proposes the following recommendations for
the various stakeholders in education:

School Heads and Teachers. School heads should work out modalities to ensure that all students benefit
from the meagre resources available in their schools. Offering computer appreciation evening classes in
the case of boarding schools might be one way of going round the challenge. Teachers ought to realise
that computers are an inevitable technological innovation which has come in the classroom to stay. As
such, teachers need to train, through in-service programs, for proficiency in the use of computers in the
teaching process.

Rural Secondary School Students, Computers, and Learning. Students must develop keen interest in
Computer Studies in much the same way as any of the traditional practical subjects in the schools.
Computer skills acquisition for students in rural schools has attracted a number of stakeholders in
education such as politicians and the business community. So, students in these areas must take this as
a chance to have access to computer technology and develop computer skills. Students in rural schools
should embrace the chance and acquire computer skills through increased interest in ICT programmes.

Curriculum Development Unit (CDU) and Computer Studies in Rural Secondary Schools. The Curriculum
Development Unit must clearly articulate the short term, mid, and long term goals for the role and place
of computers in the country’s education system and share these with all stakeholders in education. This
is meant to avoid situations where Computer Studies is introduced in schools without adequately
preparing them to offer it.

The Ministry of Education, Sport, Art and Culture. The Ministry of Education, Sport, Art and Culture
(MoESAC), through its district offices, should liaise with ICT departments at poly-technical and teacher
training colleges to facilitate the in-service training of teachers from rural secondary schools. This will
capacitate most of these rural schools and ensure that the teaching of Computer Studies takes place
once such schools are ready to start offering the subject. MoESAC should also work with the Zimbabwe
Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA), Rural Electrification Agency (REA), and Tel-One (a telecommunication
company) to expedite the connection of electrical power supply to some schools, as well as upgrading
telecommunication infrastructures respectively. It is also imperative that the schools engage technical
support that will ensure that repair services and technical information is provided. MoESAC should work
towards engaging skilled personnel to teach Computer Studies by providing programs for in-service
teachers who did not do Computer Studies on basic computer skills to better positioned them to assist
their students.

Conclusion

The article has pointed out that computer knowledge is very important for all students regardless of
their school location. It has also argued that secondary school students in rural schools have lagged
behind in this regard and that there is need to introduce Computer Studies in rural schools as well.
There is need to equip the pupils attending rural schools with the same computer skills as their urban
counterparts. In the main, the authors argue that while the introduction of Computer Studies in rural
secondary schools is a welcome human resource development strategy, its implementation has yet to
be properly designed and organised especially for rural secondary schools due to their lower economic
status. Hence, there is need for all stakeholders in education to consult and liaise with each other to
effectively bring Computer Studies to the rural secondary schools.

Study results in the Chipinge district show that the use of computer technology for the purposes of
teaching and learning is still very low and, in some cases, non-existent. Teachers are still largely relying
on the traditional talk and chalk mode of delivery. Poor ICT competencies and lack of confidence in using
new technology are viewed as determinants based on their low levels of engagement in ICT. This
confirms Ndlovu’s (2012) observation that though a number of schools in Zimbabwe claim to be offering
Computer Studies, it is only a minority who are benefitting. Computer Studies as a subject is still a
reserve for very few students, mostly in urban setups. This challenge is a result of the shortage of
computer textbooks and trained Computer Studies teachers, as well as a lack of proper facilities to apply
the subject. Within the curriculum change and innovation framework it is desirable for Zimbabwe to
invest heavily in computer technology so as to create a sustainable computer competent generation.

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