DATE: 27-01-2014.

LECTURER: MR D MOYO.

TOPIC: INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY.

TASK.

Discuss with relevant illustrations the different definitions of the term philosophy.

THE NATURE OF PHILOSOPHY.

 There is no single agreed definition to the term philosophy.

 Definitions differ according to the philosophers or authors.

THE ETYMOLOGICAL DEFINITIONS.

 The term is derived from a Greek word which itself was made up of two words,

mainly:

i. Philos-meaning love.

ii. Sophia- meaning all knowledge.

 When the two are put together they from philosophia meaning love of knowledge or

wisdom.

 People get knowledge through asking questions and trying to provide the answers.

 Philosophical inquiry is therefore the search for complete truth or quest for ultimate

reality.

 Limpman (1991) says philosophy is an inquiry based on logical reasoning.

 Gwarinda (1985) defined philosophy as an academic discipline characterized by

logical, consistent and systematic thinking so that conclusions that are reached are

sound, coherent and consistent.

  It is argued that philosophy is something intermediate between science and theology.

 Like theology it consists of speculations on matter.

 Like philosophy it appeals to reason and validation.

CATEGORIES OF PHILOSOPHY.

1. THE COMMON/POPULAR NOTION OF PHILOSOPHY

 It refers to a layman’s understanding of philosophy.

 It is one world view, assumptions, beliefs and principles one has about his behaviour.

 It is the way one understands reality about self, community and about the society as

whole.

2. THE PROFESSIONAL/ACADEMIC STANCE.

 In this stance, philosophy is viewed as an academic discipline.

 It is characterized by logical, consistent and systematic thinking over fundamental

issues.

 The aim of this thinking is to arrive at conclusions that are sound, coherent and

consistent.

 A student of philosophy becomes a critical, reflective, disciplined, rigorous and a

logical thinker on fundamental issues facing humanity.

 The main tool for the rigorous philosophical activity is reasoning and logical

reasoning.

 In this sense philosophy is divided into four main broad categories which have

been called philosophical branches or perspectives.

THE BRANCHES/PERSPECTIVES OF PHILOSOPHY.

1. METAPHYSICS.
  Meta-means beyond. This perspective deals with the nature of reality.

 The study transcends ordinary experiences and focuses on abstract issues.

DATE: 03-02-2014.

LECTURER: MR D MOYO.

LECTURE ONE CONTINUED.

THE BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY.

2. EPISTEMOLOGY.

 This is a theory of knowledge.

 It is a study that questions the nature of knowledge, the sources of knowledge and the

process of knowing.
  It asks questions such as “What is it to know”, “what is the difference between

knowing and believing”, “how is knowledge acquired”, “what are the sources of

knowledge”, ‘is knowledge universal or culture specific’, ‘is knowledge objective or

subjective’.

3. AXIOLOGY.

 It deal with the theory of values.

 It is divided into two:

1. ETHICS- deals with issues of morality which is an evaluation of right and wrong,

good and bad, correct and incorrect.

2. AESTHETICS-focuses on the appreciation of beauty and art. It questions whether

there are universal, objective standards for measuring what is artful and beautiful.

3. LOGIC (THEORY OF REASONING).

 It studies the structure and principles of a sound argument.

 Basically there are two reasoning structures which are:

1. DEDUCTIVE REASONING.

 The argument moves from a general premise to particular instances.

2. INDUCTIVE REASONING.

 The argument moves from a particular instance to a general premise.

THE SUBJECT MATTER OF PHILOSOPHY.

 Philosophers are engaged in the search for truth as they take a comprehensive view by

questioning fundamental conditions underline human life.

 While factual questions are straightforward, philosophical questions are debatable and

have many varied possible answers.

CONCLUSION.
  Philosophy is the inquiry into the principles of knowledge, reality and values that

constitute wisdom.

 Philosophy is not about providing answers but about asking the right questions.

 In their effort to answer different questions, philosophers have presented different

ways of thinking which have it made possible to classify them into different

schools of thought (philosophies) such as: Naturalism, pragmatism, idealism,

realism, existentialism among others.

REFERENCES.

Akinpelu, J, A (1981) An introduction to Philosophy of Education. London: McMillan.

P Barker, R, E (1986) Philosophies of Education: An Introductory Course. Harare: College

Press.

Gwarinda, T, C (1985) Socialism and Education. Harare: College Press.

Limpman, M (1991) Thinking In Education: New York: Cambridge University Press.

DATE: 03-02-2014.

LECTURER: MR D MOYO.

TOPIC: CONCEPT OF PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION.

 Education is derived from two Latin words.

 Educere-meaning to lead out. It implies intellectual growth, freedom and letting

learners grow at their own pace.

 Educare-meaning to form or train. It implies rearing/upbringing, shaping the character

of an individual.

 It is concerned with moral development producing morally upright individuals.

More recent definitions.

 According to Osman and Cravers (1986) education involves at least two things i.e.

1. Passing the cultural heritage from one generation to the other so that essential

social and cultural continuity exists.

2. Providing the skills, abilities and an understanding to develop new ways of

doing things in light of new technologies.

 Peresuh and Nundu (1999) see education not only as a process but also a product.

 This involves among other things learning consciously or otherwise by young

members from their seniors in any society in a formal or informal setup.

 Peters (1966) sees education as a normative term that has an inbuilt value which

he terms them good.

 It implies that something worthwhile is being transmitted.

  The transmission of this worthwhile knowledge must be in a morally accepted

manner.

 Education is concerned with the betterment of individuals.

 “…... these processes of learning will enable the person to acquire all the skills,

behaviours, knowledge, values and norms which are considered worthwhile in the

society they belong” (Barker, 1986: 10).

 Langford (1986) says education is what goes on in schools and formal institutions

of learning.

 I call therefore a complete and generous education that which fits a man to

perform justly, skilfully and magnanimously in both public and private peace and

laws.

PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION.

 According to Osman and Cravers (1986) it is the application of philosophical ideas to

educational problems and about the educational practices leading to refinement of

philosophical ideas.

 Langford (1968) asserts that philosophy of education aims at the acquisition by

educators of informed decisions about educational problems.

 Generally philosophy of education questions the assumptions, beliefs and view-points

about the nature, goals and functions of education.

 The following questions are of interest to philosophy of education.

1. What are some of the assumptions that we often hold about education.

2. Aretheseassumptionstrue?

3. What is the purpose of education?

4. Is education for character building?

 5. Are our children receiving quality education?

6. Should education have aims?

7. What subject matter/content should be taught in schools?

8. Who should choose the content to be leant in schools?

9. In a multi-cultural society, from whose culture should the content be chosen?

10. What is worthwhile knowledge?

CONCLUSION.

 Philosophy of education enables us to understand the nature of our educational aims,

objectives, content and the selection process of such content.

 Education cannot operate in a vacuum, it has to be guided by a specific philosophy.

DATE: 11-02-2014.

LECTURER: MRS N SHAVA.

TOPIC: PHILOSOPHIES OF EDUCATION.

IDEALISM.

 It is derived from the term ideals.

 It is a philosophical approach that believes that ideas are the only true and reality

worth knowing.

 The idea of the thing is real and the thing in itself is simple through manifestation of

that idea.

 These ideas are eternal, fixed and unchanging.

 Plato is known to be the father of idealism.

 Truth, knowledge and values are simply the conception of the mind, therefore the

mind is the controller and explainer of the phenomenon that we are seeing.

 Things such as buildings and trees exist but have no existence apart from a mind that

conceives them.

 The external world is in real sense man made.

 Idealists seek to discover true knowledge rather than create it.

  In search for truth, beauty and justice i.e. enduring and everlasting, the focus is on

conscious reasoning in the mind.

 Idealism always searches for the truth, it is also commonly known as spiritualism.

 It seeks to offer an explanation of the man and the universe in-terms of the

spirit/mind.

 The spiritual quality of man distinguishes him from other creatures.

 Ultimate reality must be understood in-terms of the mind/spirit.

PROPONENTS OF REALISM.

PLATO (427-327 BC).

 Plato believed that there are two worlds; the first is the spiritual or mental world

which is eternal, permanent, orderly, regular and universal (mind).

 There is also the world of appearance, the world experienced through touch, sight,

smell, taste and sound that is changing, imperfect and disorderly (body).

 This division is often referred to as the duality of the body and mind.

 Plato observed that there are two forms of reality i.e.

The first one he referred to as the reality of the idea in the mind-true reality.

The 2nd is the reality of the object-illusional, imperfect representation of what the

object is.

 Truth is perfect and eternal and it can be shown in mathematical concepts.

 Plato says lets search for universal truth that is final.

 According to Plato, a just society is hierarchical; his ideal state is characterized by

division of labour according to the area of expertise needed by the state.

 The state is divided into three i.e.

1. Rulers (on top)-these are the philosopher Kings, he termed them the man of gold.
 2. The Guards-he termed them the man of silver.

3. The mass (hoipoloi)-he termed them the man of bronze and iron.

SAINT AUGUSTINE (354-430 AD).

 He was concerned with the concept of evil since man inherited the sin of Adam.

 He was continuously involved in a struggle to regain the kind of purity he had before

the fall.

 He believed in Plato’s notion of duality reality (matter and ideas).

 He referred to the two worlds as the world of God and the world of man.

 The world of God is the world of the spirit whilst the world of man is the material

world of darkness, sin and suffering.

 Like Plato he felt that people do not create knowledge but can only discover it.

METAPHYSICS OF IDEALISM.

 Truth is mental and not material.

 It is mind not matter.

 All things exist in the mind because they can-not be known to exist before the mind

notices them.

 Reality is absolute and exists in the supernatural world.

 Reality is eternal, unchanging, permanent and universal.

EPISTEMOLOGY OF IDEALISM.

 The consciousness of ignorance is the beginning of knowledge which according to

Socrates is virtue.

 Knowledge is seen as something in the mind therefore it is inborn.

  It is discovered through reflection, meditation, inductive reasoning and logical

deduction (mental activities).

 According to Plato knowledge is a product of reasoning, it is a product of probing

through questions (Socratic Method) that can bring to consciousness talents and

concepts already present in the mind.

 According to Kant, E the essence of knowing is the imposition of meaning and order

on information gathered by the senses.

 According to Saint Augustine ultimate/true knowledge is gathered through revelation.

God reveals what has to be known by men.

 Knowledge acquired through the senses is uncertain and incomplete since the material

world is only a disturbed copy of a more perfect sphere of being.

AXIOLOGY OF IDEALISM.

 According to idealists values are permanent and eternal, they are passed from

generation to generation.

 The actual absolute values of truth, goodness and beauty have to be discovered.

AIMS OF EDUCATION.

 Education is supposed to be a process of turning the eye of the soil from darkness into

light.

 The role of education is to activate the mind, so that through its own reasoning it can

discover knowledge.

 This can be achieved through the Socratic Method.

 Education has to enable the child to realise the soul, recognize his real form and

proceed towards self-realization.

  Education should enable children to be able to distinguish right from wrong, being

able to follow the right and reject the evil.

 Education should aim at developing the child into a complete being with full physical,

intellectual, moral, spiritual, emotional and cultural uplift.

 Education should not only stretch the development of the mind but should also

encourage students to focus on all things that are of more lasting value.

 Practical subjects are inferior to academic ones as they not involve the mind.

 Preservation and enrichment of culture is also key in education.

WEAKNESSES OF IDEALISM.

 Its notion of a finished and absolute universe waiting to be discovered has hindered

progress in science and area of new talents.

 It is impracticable.

 It is also individualistic in nature and neglects socialization of individuals.

QUESTION.

 How has idealism influenced the Zimbabwean secondary school system?

DATE: 24-02-2014.

LECTURER: MR D MOYO

TOPIC: REALISM.

 For any educational system to be meaningful and effective it has to be based on a

clearly thought out philosophy/world view.

 It has to be based on a set of beliefs about the nature of man and his place in the

universe (metaphysics).

 It must have a system of values for both the individual and the society (axiology).

 It must have a scheme of knowledge considered most valuable (epistemology).

 All the three elements are present in any educational system and they are conceived

differently by different schools of thought.

TENENTS OF REALISM/CHARACTERISTICS.

 Realism refers to the theory (doctrine) that whatever knowledge we receive through

the senses is a true reflection of what really exists.

 The world of reality consists of real tangible matter having an independent existence

of its own which can be discovered by direct scientific inquiry (Barker, 1989:9).
REALIST VIEWS ON METAPHYSICS.

 Realists believe that reality exists independent of the human mind.

 Reality is objective and is composed of matter and form.

 It is fixed and based on natural laws.

 The world exists by itself and as a reality independent of whether there are

humans to perceive it or not.

 The world is not a construct of the human mind.

 Matter in the universe/world is real and independent of the human mind.

 Objects have a reality independent of our knowledge/our desire to know them.

 Aristotle the father of realism believed that in order to understand an object, one

must understand its ultimate form that doesn’t change e.g. a rose exists whether or

not a person is aware of it and it shares properties with all flowers.

 The world is well organised.

 It is not chaotic, there is order in its organisation e.g. the night follows the day.

 The world is real and it is what science tell us it is.

 The basic facts discovered by the sciences about the world are true and real

therefore scientific discoveries must be respected.

REALISTS VIEWS ON EPISTEMOLOGY.

 Realists believe that since the world exist as it is, it is possible to have an

objective knowledge of it.

 Knowledge consists of sensation and abstraction i.e. the process of knowing is

that of the mind responding to impressions that are made upon it from external

sources.
  It is an act of grasping and understanding what is presented to the mind from

the outside.

 We can verify whether knowledge is true/not by comparing what our senses

tell us with the actual situation if it corresponds then it is true knowledge.

REALIST VIEWS ON AXIOLGY.

 The realist’s conception of values is also rooted in their metaphysics.

 Values are eternal, absolute and objective.

 Values exists objectively in things whether we appreciate or not.

 They exist in objects for us to discover e.g. honey is sweet, sweetness is therefore a

property that honey has whether tested or not.

 So there are objective values in culture, objective norms and standards of conduct

which do not depend upon what each citizen thinks/feels.

 Such objective cultural values and standards of conduct must form the core-

curriculum of a worthwhile education.

PROPONENTS OF REALISM.

ARISTOTLE (384-322BC).

 He is known to be the father of realism.

 He is the founder of classical realism.

 He believed that humans are rational.

 Reason is the ability to know the unchanging form of objects through sense

experience and then to deduce from these forms the characteristics of the objects

themselves: deductive reasoning.

 Reasoning is what separates man from other living forms.

JOHN LOCKE.

 There are no pre-conceived ideas in human thought.

 At birth the mind is tabula rasa (a blank slate) upon which ideas will be printed later.

 All knowledge is acquired from sources independent of the individuals mind and

experience by way of sensation and reflection.

 Experience to him was a bundle of sensations living an imprint on the blank slate of

the mind.

 Experience is the source of knowledge.

IMPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATION.

 The arrangement of the world into patterns implies that knowledge is classified

according to disciplines or subjects.

 The discipline/subjects contain the elements of culture that must be transmitted to

children.

 Therefore no one single subject/discipline can be adequate to express the whole truth

to be found in a culture.

 The purpose of education is not only about the acquisition of culture but the

development of intellectual skills and habits to discover the orderliness that exists in

the world.

 Because the world is orderly, teaching must be arranged orderly, equipping the

learner with the necessary knowledge and values.

 Teaching should be either from general to particular or vice versa.

 It should let the learner see the advantages of both methods.

 John Locke’s concept of tabula rasa implies that any child can learn anything and

learn it well as long as it is taught well.

  There are no bright/dull children, they only differ in their rate of grasping knowledge.

 Learning should be both subject centred and teacher centred.

JUSTIFICATION OF USING THE SUBJECT AND TEACHER CENTRED.

 There are certain truths to be transmitted, truths that are contained in different

disciplines.

 The teacher has knowledge of some of these truths and is therefore the well of

knowledge and wisdom.

 The duty of the learner is to absorb the truths presented to him/her by the teacher.

 He/she should learn the habit of self-discipline so as to be able to master the subject.

 The teacher should therefore be loyal to his discipline and present the truths of his

discipline/subjects as faithfully as possible.

 The teacher is an authority with superior knowledge.

 He is the channel through which knowledge reaches the children.

 Schools are not only places of learning but also of meaningful activities and

interaction resulting in the all-round development of a child.

DATE: 25-03-2014

LECTURER: MR D MOYO

TOPIC: THE PHILOSOPHY OF PRAGMATISM.

 It comes from the Greek word pragma which means work.

 It is a philosophy that judges all things in-terms of their practical consequences.

 It holds the view that for anything to be called knowledge it should produce physical

observable/tangible change in things.

 True knowledge of anything depends upon verification of ideas in actual experience.

 Only those things that are experienced/observed are real.

 Pragmatism encourages processes that allow individuals to do those things that lead to

desirable ends/outcomes.

 It is a 20th century philosophy that examines traditional ways of thinking and doing

things, and then reconstructs them to fit modern life.

 It is founded on science and technology and is mainly interested in the material

benefits of practical usefulness of an activity that is undertaken.

 It is a philosophy that is pre-occupied with the consequences/ the utility of ideas.

PRAGMATIST VIEWS ON METAPHYISCS.

 Pragmatists agree with the realists that the physical world exists in its own right not as

merely a projection of the mind.

  Unlike realists they neither believe that this world is permanent nor that it exists

independent of the human mind.

 They believe that reality is not permanent; everything is in a constant state of flux

(change).

 The world we experience is a growing, changing and developing thing.

 The universe is dynamic and evolving.

 Pragmatist say reality is the totality of individual experience.

 Man to them is an experiencing organism that can-not exist without his environment.

 Man depends on other organisms for survival as he is the highest form of organism in

the environment.

 Man depends on experience to understand the environment.

 Man has the high intelligence to use/manipulate the environment.

PRAGMATIST VIEWS ON EPISTEMOLOGY.

 The mind discovers values in the same way it discovers knowledge i.e. through

experience.

 There is no absolute and unchanging truth but rather truth is what works for us.

 Truth is relative and subject to change.

 This is so because human intelligence proposes hypothesis in order to explain/solve

problems.

 This maybe done through collection of data to support these hypotheses.

 Hypothesis that solve problems are then regarded as true but resolutions to problems

may change as new methods emerge.

 This therefore means that there is no absolute truth i.e. truth is relative.

 What this means is that values change as situations change.

  They also say that values are relative, man and his needs determine what is valuable.

 Values express man’s desires and needs.

MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS IN PRAGAMATISM.

 Pragmatism is a 20th century philosophy founded in the works of Francis Bacon, John

Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau, Charles Darwin and John Dewey.

 Bacon’s influence is primarily in his method of induction which serves as the basis of

the scientific method.

 Late pragmatist extended Bacon’s scientific approach beyond solving simple material

problems to include those in economics, politics, psychology, education, ethics etc.

 John Locke influenced pragmatism through his concept of experience as a source of

knowledge.

 He emphasized the idea of placing children in the most desirable environment for

their education.

 He further described the ideal education as being exposed to many experiences.

 He profounded an idea that children are born tabula rasa and that society proceeds to

write what its wants on their minds.

 This implies that the mind is passive.

ROUSSEAU.

 His major contribution was that knowledge is based on the sense experience of the

natural world.

 He argued that individuals are basically good but are corrupted by civilisation

which includes science and art.

  He argued not that humans should give up technology but that its corrupting

influence should be controlled.

 He also argued that children should not be seen as miniature adults but as human

beings who are passing through various stages of development.

 His works led to the questions about what was natural for children that opened

doors for modern psychological study and child centred education.

CHARLES DARWIN.

 Contributed much on reasoning from scientific evidence.

 He argued that species evolved naturally through a universal struggle for existence.

 Through the interaction of the organism and the environment based on available food

supplies and geographic conditions, the strongest of the species survives.

 Darwin’s view helped foster the concept that humans are in the process of

development and becoming as is the universe.

 This led to the pragmatist belief that reality is an open ended process

John Dewey (1849-1952) is believed to be the father of pragmatism.

DEWEY’S MAJOR EDUCATIONAL IDEAS.

 Dewey says education is a process of developing problem solving techniques.

 He says education should assist people to discover knowledge for themselves.

 The constructional process should be flexible with a concern for individual

differences.

 Teachers are there to build on existing knowledge not to pour on empty vessels.

 The teacher has to identify the needs of the learner and to serve as a resource person.

 Knowledge is acquired through interaction with the environment.

  There should be democracy in the classroom (the classroom should not resemble a

military camp, where pupils feel they are in military discipline).

 The school should not be divorced from the home environment; it should be an

extension of the home.

 Teaching should be for the present since the future is uncertain and unpredictable.

 Education should be life itself not a preparation for life.

DATE: 25-02-2014.

LECTURER: MR D MOYO

TOPIC: EXISTENTIALISM.
SOURCES.

Akinpelu, J.A (1981): An Introduction to Philosophy of Education, London, McMillan Press.

Biswal, U.N (2005) Philosophy of Education, Dominant Publishers and Distributors, New

Delhi.

Knight, G (2008) Existentialism from Dostoevsky, Satre, New York, McGraw Hill.

www.ebooks.com.

DEFINITION OF TERMS.

 Existentialism can be defined as the philosophy of existence (Akinpelu, 1981:154).

 Knight (2001:3) says existentialism is not a philosophy but a label for several widely

different revolts against traditional philosophy.

 It is a philosophy that was developed as a result of the excesses of industrialisation,

science and technology developments.

 Existentialism is a philosophy of existence that is concerned with human beings in

their concrete existence and humans as thinking, feeling and acting individuals.

 It is concerned with the concrete experiences of the individual with the quality of life

of a man’s life and also with the man trying to find his own place and meaning of his

own life and his society in the world and the universe at large.

THE METAPHYSICS OF EXISTENTIALISM.

 Existentialism disclaims any interest in metaphysics or abstract speculation about the

nature of man/what is real and unchanging in the world.

 What is existing and real is what we feel, what we see and what we touch.

 Existentialism confides its existence to the definition of man.

  A man according to them is an individual person who has become conscious that he is

alive, that he has feelings and emotions of love, hatred, appreciation or prejudice and

that man is able and free to decide for himself.

 That a man is a self-determined individual who has freedom to choose/not to choose.

 A man has a unique personality which is not duplicated to any other man.

JEAN PAUL SARTE.

 He describes man as nothing else but what he makes of himself (Akinpelu,

1981:155).

 He also says that man is capable of controlling his life and destiny.

 There are economic, cultural, social and political factors that affect/prevent us from

becoming what we want to be in society.

 He says there are always avenues for getting over such obstacles depending on one’s

choice e.g. one can confront the challenges of life and take appropriate steps to

overcome them, one can run away from them and refuse to stay in that society/one

can accept the oppressive nature and live in such conditions that prevent people from

becoming what they want to be.

 After the man has made choices he must take full responsibility of the consequences

that might follow his choice, he can-not blame them on other elements be they

society/God.

 Existentialist describes freedom as something that can be dreadful because choices

that we make may lead to pain, fear/anxiety.

EPISTEMOLOGY OF EXISTENTIALISM.

 They say that the source of knowledge is experience.

 Personal experience is the most authentic knowledge as it is where a person is

emotionally and passionately involved.

 First-hand experience can-not be duplicated, imitated and can-not be adequately

described e.g. a scientist who studies poverty is an outsider who can only describe it

but has not experience of the poverty.

 Emotion is just as equal as reasoning in a man’s life e.g. one might know what is right

and just but may not be strong enough to do it and if a person is emotionally involved

in the situation they may be no will to carry it out.

 As knowledge comes sometimes from outside sources, knowledge can be mediated

e.g. by the school subjects, through teachers who have acquired knowledge, who can

interpret, process, assimilate, internalise and decimate it.

AXIOLOGY OF EXISTENTIALISM.

 Man is the judge of all that is valuable.

 Value is personal and subjective.

 Values are subjective in the sense that it is a person interested in a thing who values it.

 What a man chooses is what is valuable and by his choice he considers what he has

chosen to be good or bad.

 Choice is made after taking into consideration all the possible factors e.g.

consequences and that when one makes choices they do so according to their

conscience and consequently should not blame others.

 To allow the majority to decide for one is selling one’s freedom.

  A man can abide by the norms of his society but can decide against the norms of the

majority and without fear.

EXISTENTIALISM ON EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS.

 Education should not adjust the learner but should make the learner aware of his

environment if they can become a useful individual.

 The task of education is only to evaluate the learner’s ability to decide correctly.

 To develop initiative to search for and discover himself and to cultivate self-reliance

as a key teacher.

 It is not the content of the curriculum or what is taught that is important but rather the

way/how it is taught.

 Existentialism emphasizes on the method of teaching because it includes the learner in

the activity.

 It also favours the Socratic method (questions and answers).

 It says there should be dialogue in the acquisition of knowledge.

 It emphasizes the use of role play and drama in teaching because they involve pupils

emotionally and vicariously.

 Existentialism argues that the best teacher is the home and the parent of the child

because it is in the home that the child is fully accepted whatever his mental

efficiencies/physical problems.

 The teacher must accept each child as a unique individual who has some ability, who

is capable and has some potentiality.

 The role of the teacher should be to evaluate the child to realise some of these

potentialities, discover what they are and how to achieve them.

  The teacher must know every pupil in the classroom; study them in all their

uniqueness.

 The role of the teacher is not cognitive transference but that of providing

opportunities and success to evaluate and assess the pupil with the aim of helping

them realise their potentialities.

 Act as a guide and counsellor who should mould pupils into independent, self-reliant

individuals.

 The teacher therefore should allow freedom of opinion and discussion.

 The teacher should be able to mould his/her pupils into committed

individuals/members of the society.

DATE: 31-03-2014.

TOPIC: PERENILIASM.

WHAT IS PERENIALSM?

 It is an educational theory/philosophy that draws from idealism and realism.

 It is conservative in nature.
 Perenialists believe that truth is universal and does not depend on circumstances of

place, time /person.

 A good education involves a search and an understanding of the truth.

 Education is a liberal exercise that develops the intellect.

 Robert Hutchins and Mortimer Adler are known to be the leading perenialists who

based their theory of education mainly on Aristotle’s realism.

 They concurred with Aristotle that since human beings are rational, the schools

primary role is the cultivation of rationality.

 Perenialists therefore oppose political, social and economic theories that seek to use

schools as multi-purpose agents.

 They do not want schools to stress student’s emotional adjustment/to be vocational

training centres for the marketing place.

 Although Perenialists understand that emotional well-ness and vocational competence

are necessary for people to function in society, they believe that agencies other than

the school should attend to these activities.

 To put extra non-academic demands on teachers and schools takes away energy, time

and resources from the primary academic purpose of schools.

 For perenialists the most important educational goals are the searching of and

disseminating of the truth.

 Since they believe that truth is universal and unchanging, a genuine education is also

universal and unchanging.

 The school curriculum should contain cognitive subjects that cultivate rationality and

the study of moral aesthetic and religious principles to cultivate ethical behaviour.
  Like idealists and realists, perenialists prefer a subject matter curriculum which

includes history, language, geography, maths, logic, literature, social studies, natural

sciences and fine arts.

 The content of these subjects develops intellectual skills of reading, writing, spelling,

listening, calculation, observing, measuring, estimating and problem solving which

leads to higher order thinking and reflection.

 Perenialists argue that students should not be grouped/streamed into “tracks” that

prevent some from acquiring the general education to which they are entitled to by

their common humanity.

 All students have the right to the same high quality education.

 To track/channel some students into an academic curriculum and others into

vocational curriculum denies genuine equality of educational opportunities.

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE CLASSROOM TEACHER.

 Like the realist and idealists, perenialists see the classroom as an environment for

students intellectually growth.

 Teachers must be liberally educated, love the truth and desire to lead a life based on it

in order to stimulate students interest.

 In primary grades the perenialists teacher would emphasize learning fundamental

skills such as reading, writing and addition.

 Perenialists secondary school teacher would structure lessons along the enduring

human concerns explored in the great works of history, literature etc.

 Perenialistsschool administrators, teachers and students maintain high standards for

academic work.

ESSENTIALISM.
 Like Perenialism, essentialism is an educational theory/philosophy that is rooted in

idealism and realism.

 It is a conservative theory that emphasizes academic subject matter curriculum.

 For essentialists the important goals of education are:

1. To transmit the basic skills and knowledge in the cultural heritage.

2. To emphasize the skills and subjects that can lead learners to higher order thinking

skills and knowledge.

3. To use education as a civilising agency that emphasizes continuity between the

knowledge and values of the past and the requirements of the present.

 For essentialists, education involves learning the basic skills, arts and sciences that

sustain civilisation.

 Mastering these skills and subjects prepare students to function effectively as

members of a civilised society.

 Since learning of essential curriculum requires discipline and hard work, teachers

should be skilled professionals both in subject matter and in teaching.

 William Bagley the founding philosopher of essentialism argued that students should

learn something “essential” in addition to the process of thinking.

 Traditional disciplines like maths, science, geography, history, language, social

studies and literature should be taught in schools.

 Primary schools should emphasize on reading, writing and computation since these

are the basic essential skills that contribute to literacy, social and intellectual

efficiency.

 Schooling requires discipline and respect for authority whereas learning requires hard

work and disciplined attention.

 Teachers should stress order, discipline and hard work among learners.
 IMPLICATIONS FOR THE CLASSROOM TEACHER.

 Teachers must be well prepared and accountable for children’s learning.

 The teacher is supposed to be a specialist in subject matter content and skilled in

organizing it into instructional units.

 Regular assignments, home-work, frequent testing and evaluation should be

standard practices.

 In the essentialists classroom students devote their time and energy into learning

academic skills in various subjects.

 Effective schools should have principals/heads and teachers who hold high

expectations of academic achievement and prepare students to achieve better.

 Essentialists emphasize on first mastering the facts and generalising these facts.

QUESTION.

 Similarities between essentialism and Perenialism.

THEORY AIM CURRICULUM EDUCATIONAL PROPONENTS

IMPLICATIONS

Progressivism To Activities and Instruction that Dewey.

(rooted in educate projects. features problem Kilpatrick.

pragmatism) the solving and Parker.

individual group activities.

according Teacher acts as a

to his facilitator.

interests
 and needs

Perenialism To Subject matter that Focus on Hutchins.

(Rooted in educate is hierarchical enduring human Adler

realism and the arranged/organized concerns as

idealism). rational to cultivate the revealed in the

person. intellect. great works of

cultural heritage.

DATE: 03-03-2014

LECTURER: MR D MOYO

TOPIC: PHILOSOPHY OF NATURALISM

REFERENCES

Akinpelu, J. A (1981)
Chitumba, W (2006)

Morish, l (1967)

Reed, A. J. S and Bergmann B.E (1995)

Rusk, R.N and Scotland, J (1969)

Urmson, J. O (1975)

PROPONENTS OF NATURALISM

J.J Rousseau

J.H Pestalozzi

F. Froebel

Montessori

INTRODUCTION

 Naturalism grew largely as an opposition to idealism and Christian doctrine of the

original sin.

 It disputes the notion that man is essentially evil.

 It takes an extreme position in arguing that inherent in human nature are dynamic

quality features- forces which make man naturally inclined to develop towards

goodness.

DEFINITION.

NATURALISM

 It is a philosophy that argues for the return to nature.

  Its general outlook is that man’s development both physical and intellectual

progresses in accordance with natural forces and natural laws.

METAPHYSICS OF NATURALISM

 Naturalists believe that the totality of things which we call nature and which are

studied in natural sciences is the totality of things.

 Any explanations in-terms of the supernatural are illegitimate.

 There is an inner principle of development in the universe, a sort of pattern according

to which each thing develops according to the best of its type.

 Thus there exist in the child some hidden powers which unfold when he grows up to

become an adult.

 The child has his own inner principle of growth by which he necessarily and naturally

develops towards manhood.

 Naturalists believe in the natural (innate) goodness and innocence of the child.

 Inequalities and bad behaviours are a result of the child’s intercourse with the

corrupted society.

 The child is by nature inquisitive and inclined to learn.

 If we allow the child to unfold in a natural way, he will develop into a good man and

ultimately a good citizen.

 The natural tendency of human nature is to develop towards freedom and happiness.

 Rousseau says “man is born free but he is in chains everywhere”

EPISTEMOLOGY OF NATURALISM

 Knowledge is human experience informed by his present values and interests.

  Knowledge is acquired through a natural process of growth and development-

evolution.

 Knowledge is unfolding from within the child of the potentialities and capacities

which follows it’s laid down patterns through engaging in meaningful activities.

 Education is then the process of aiding and quickening this developmental process of

the child.

AXIOLOGY OF NATURALISM

 Values are man centred, relative and ever-changing.

 What is good or right is what works or is likely to solve a problem.

NATURALISM AND EDUCATION.

 Education should be student centred.

 It should take into account the present interests, values and experiences of the

learners.

 Education is growth, it is a natural process.

 They argue that nature will have them children before they are born.

 Children have ways of thinking, seeing and feeling which are peculiar to themselves

and they should not be interfered with.

 Education is for the liberty and happiness of the child

 Rousseau advocates learning without tears.

 This means that in a learning set-up, never punish the child

 If there is punishment needed, nature will take its course and punish the child.

 Their argument is that if the child is permitted to suffer consequences of his free

activities, he will learn from experience what makes his own happiness and his mates.
  Education should be through experience.

 Children should learn nothing from books which they can learn from experience.

 Children learn best by doing through activities/ first hand experiences.

 Allow children to use all their senses.

 Education is for individual development and social consciousness.

 Create activities that will make the child work with others, have a sense of belonging

and community ownership.

 Learners should learn at their own pace.

 Methods of teaching should take into account the child’s readiness to learn something

new.

 Rousseau argues that when you craft a curriculum do it with the learners.

 The education system should be divided into different levels according to the pupils’

ages.

NATURALISM AND EDUCATION

In teaching, move away from the child’s present experience and gradually lead him to new

experiences

Children learn through trial and error, culminating in trial and success

The teacher must make learning interesting to the learner

According to Rousseau since boys by nature are different from girls, they require a different

kind of education

He also says the ideal class size is 1tutor 1learner

Education should be funded and sponsored by the state

THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER

Naturalist argue that the teacher should be a provider and organizer of learning resources.

The teacher is a passive observer in the background and only interferes at the request of the

child.

CONCLUSION

Some elements of the Zimbabwean education system are informed by naturalism

These include dividing the system into kindergarten, infant, junior and senior in primary

education, secondary and tertiary education.

Teaching methods have also been influenced by naturalism especially the emphasis on

participation rather than on preparation and assimilation.

However there are certain aspects of the philosophy which stand out as unworkable and

overzealous.

TASK

Discuss the applicability of naturalism to the Zimbabwean secondary school setting, which

ideas would you find difficult to apply and why.

DATE: 16-03-2014.
LECTURER: MR D MOYO

TOPIC: PHILOSOPHIES OF EDUCATION

 Educational philosophies and theories are closely related.

 Philosophies refer to complete bodies of thought that present a world view.

 Educational theories focus on education.

 The main thrust is on what the school should teach i.e. the curriculum.

 The theories are the school based components of the philosophical approaches.

EDUCATIONAL THEORIES/THEORY.

PROGRESSIVISM.

 It is a philosophical theory that is founded upon pragmatism hence attributed to

Dewey.

 Progressive education arose as reaction against traditional schooling where

progrevists condemned traditional schooling practices such as:

1. Authoritarian teachers.

2. Book-based instruction.

3. Passive memorisation of factual information.

4. Using physical/psychological coercion to manage classrooms.

 They advocate for an education that focuses on the whole child rather than on the

content/teacher thus they teach the head, heart and the hand.

 Emphasis is on students testing ideas by active experimentation.

 Emphasis is also on the process of learning (as opposed to product)-how one comes to

know.
  The learner is a problem solver and thinker who makes meaning through his

individual experience in the physical and cultural context.

 Learners should be free to experiment, play and express themselves.

 Children’s readiness and interest rather than pre-determined subjects should shape the

curriculum and instruction.

 Progressivists emphasize social interaction and process oriented (hands-on learning)

in which students work collaboratively to expand and revise their knowledge base.

 Teaching and learning should be an active, exciting and ever-changing process.

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE TEACHER.

 Effective teachers provide experiences so that students can learn by doing.

 A teacher must make use of the child’s interest.

 Teachers must make use of participatory methods such as group work, role-play,

project method and field trips.

 Teachers must create an atmosphere that allows free expression and interaction.

 Content should be broken down into manageable units.

 The teacher must match the level of difficulty of content with the level of the

children.

 Teachers must teach from the immediate experience of the child and gradually lead

the child to unfamiliar concepts.

 The teacher acts as a guide to the child’s learning.

STRENGHTS OF PROGRESSIVISM.

 It allows for active participation by learners.

 Use of participatory method is believed to ensure long memory retention.

  It boosts the learner’s confidence as they discover their own knowledge.

 Learners learn to appreciate others opinion as they learn from each other.

 Learners are self-motivated to learn,

 Progressivism encourages scientific methods to experimentation in line with

technological advancements.

 It appreciates individual differences in learners.

 Progressivism allows the child to learn as he plays.

WEAKNESSES.

DATE: 20-05-2014

LECTURER: Mr D MOYO

TOPIC: LIBERALISM/ LIBERAL EDUCATION

 The concept of liberalism originated in the Greek society during the time of Aristotle.

 The word liberalism is derived from a Latin word “Liber” which means independent and

free. It denotes that which is worth of a free man.

The concept of a free man

The Greek tradition

 According to the Greek there were two types of man a slave and a free man.

 The free man was someone with a legal status, a man who was not over burdened with

material cares
 He was a man capable of thinking beyond the now,

 A man who would spend most of his time thinking about abstract issues i.e. justice,

selfish

The English tradition

 during the 19 century the concept of a freeman changed and followed the English

tradition

 a freeman was a man who qualified to be called a gentleman

 this was a man of leisure, a man who would not do manual jobs, had dignity, commanded

respect, a man of peace with polished speech, a man of high intellectual capability, a man

whose reasoning was not contextually bound.

The contemporary times

 Distinctions between a free man and a slave no longer exist.

 A freeman has an openness of mind.

 Man is expected to be free of dogmas and superstition.

 He is expected to interrogate any standing beliefs and give new meaning to all

phenomena.

Goals of liberal education

i. prepare students for life – the learner should understand the life he or she lives

ii. develop rational thinking

iii. produce mature, good and hopefully wise man

iv. produce the ideal of a well-stocked cultivated mind

v. produce a gracious and well-disciplined character

Objectives

 Provide the student with certain kinds of knowledge which every man is the better for

possessing.

 To provide a holistic approach to learning as opposed to a narrow specialised approach.

 Liberalism agues for wholesomeness as opposed to one sidedness.

 Help form the mind and personality so that it is possible to be free of gross material cares

and to experience more of what life really has to offer (Elvin, 1977:47).

 To equip the students with a command of their own language.

 To equip the students with the skills of vigorous thought.

 To equip students with a grasp of mathematics.

Tenants/ principles of liberalism

 Man is a rational being, this capacity should be developed in every human being –

capable of thinking, evaluating, and making judgements.

 Human personality should develop freely guided by reason rather than limited by

artificially constraints (superstitions, dogmas).

 Liberal education is a process of freeing or liberating the mind from error.

 Education aims ultimately to enable an individual to make free choices rather than to

follow what is considered to be correct without understanding it.

 Knowledge is a good for its own sake.

Curriculum of liberal education

 Blydel (in Akinpelu, 1981) asserts that liberal education’s main feature is integration.

 The curriculum is therefore a coverage of wide range of types of knowledge as Blydel (in

Akinpelu 1981:98) reveals “it is our desire and purpose to teach not so much knowledge

of useful things as useful knowledge”

 The man so educated should be free or liberated from ignorance.

 The liberal curriculum recommends the teaching of as many subjects as possible all of

which should be learnt to a level that does not allow specialisation.

Justification for the wide curriculum

 The first orientation of a liberal education is towards man as man, not towards man as a

money maker.

 The aim is to aid man’s sensible decisions.

Expected product of liberal education

 His body is the ready servant of his will.

 The product is expected to be rational.

 They must be intellectually curious.

Implications to a teacher

 Teach all subjects under the sun that constitute knowledge without much of detail

 Children are unique individuals

 Children are rational creatures

 Children are free to express their feelings, opinions and beliefs

 Developing in pupils both deductive and inductive reasoning

Summary

 Curriculum of liberal education is very wide and there is no specialisation

 There is emphasis on toleration of different fades

 Quest for knowledge must not be subordinated political or any other expediency

 Knowledge, learning and personal development are goods themselves

 The highest purpose of education is to produce a good man not good tradesman or

citizens

Critics

 The philosophy has no clear belief on nature destined man

 Sound too much of utopia

 Liberal beliefs lead to attitudes of shunning manual labour as it encourages attitudes of

the social elite.

 “Making all education truly liberal never succeeded even with the privileged groups of

Greeks or the English of the 19th century.”(Elvin 1977:56).

Question 2

How far can he stretch the idea that a man can be educated for sake of knowledge not for

financial aid?
DATE: 19-05-2014

TOPIC: CONCEPTS OF EDUCATION

LECTURER: MR DMOYO

According to Socrates and Plato perfect education should focus on good reasoning, and

perfect thought.

Forms that Socrates referred to are intangible things

Education enables a person to acquire a skill e.g. the skill of thought.

Skills that students may develop

  Skill of thinking

 Listening

 Interpreting

 Translation

 Problem solving

- According to Dewey education is experience and social reform. Teach by

experience

Schools of thought

 Idealism (thought behind existence) if children are not taught ideas then they are not

educated

 Realist (can teach using reality)

 Pragmatism (education trough socialising)

 Existentialism (give meaning according to individual experience) you must appreciate

an individual as he is

- Education must provide for all classes of the social structure.

- Sometimes education means to breed i.e. grooming.

Key concepts in education

1. Teaching

2. learning

- Teaching is explaining everything, making it clear to a learner.

- Learning is the gaining of knew knowledge/ skills. It is also advancing existing

knowledge/ perfecting a skill or adapting a certain stimuli.

Educational forms

- Alternative knowledge is self-learning (home schooling).

 - Indigenous education- traditional education it includes formal and non-formal

education.

- (E-learning) self- directed learning

- Formal learning

- Special education (especially for students with disabilities).

NB The teacher should choose teaching media/activities wisely. Use diverse

methods to teach because learning methods are diverse.

Summary

Education is the transmission of knowledge, formation of character, and development

of the skill to solve problems.

DATE: 24-06-2014.

LECTURER: MR D MOYO.

TOPIC: ISSUES IN EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY.

EQUALITY AND JUSTICE.

EQUALITY

DEFINITION

 It means the same in status, rights and responsibilities for all members of a given

group, community, society, country, nation or an empire.

 Plato considered the ends of the justice to be best served recognising and exploiting

human beings inequalities.

 Aristotle remarked that injustice arises as much as from treating the unequal’s equal

as from treating the equals unequal.

  The Christian view holds that all human beings are equal in the sight of God, this is

called ontological equality.

 Nietzsche took a contrary view stating that the promotion of equality led to

mediocrity and to the discouragement of effort and excellence.

THE CONCEPT OF EQUALITY.

That all men are equal is clearly not true.

Every single person as an individual; natural differences such as height, colour, sex and

weight, strength, intelligence apply (physiological differences).

There are also social differences, rank, religion, citizenship and power.

Human beings in the descriptive sense are not equal.

EQUALITY OF TREATMENT.

There is prescriptive/moral sense of equality e.g. all human beings are equal because we

belong to the same human race and have the same needs.

Human beings have the equal rights e.g. education, rights to housing, water, food, to vote,

material benefits, health, salaries and wages.

John Locke thought that all human beings are all equal in certain natural rights e.g. water to

drink.

EQUALITY AND EDUCATION.

The universal declaration of human rights by the U.N says all human beings should be

provided with free education.

This is because an illiterate population does not make an efficient work and labour force nor a

productive or a resourceful one.

EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITIES

The idea that everyone has an equal chance to achieve wealth, social prestige and power is

not true because the rules of life maybe the same but may not apply to everyone.

INEQAUALTIES IN EDUCATION

 Colonial education was not fair, it discriminated against Africans.

 Education according to age, aptitude and ability.

 Private schools.

 Former A schools

 Poor western schools

 Rural and farm schools

 Teacher student ratio

 Teacher qualifications

 Educational infrastructure and facilities.

 Low incomes and high incomes

 Teaching and learning stationery.

 Social background, haves and have not’s.

DATE: 10-06-2014

LECTURER: MR D MOYO

TOPIC: ISSUES IN EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY CONTINUED

AUTHORITY AND FREEDOM

DEFINITION OF AUTHORITY

 The word authority is derived from the Latin word auctoritas

 It can also be used to mean power given by the state or an institution

ACADEMIC DEFINITION

 Academic definition of authority means knowledge of an area, someone can be an

authority on a subject

 Authority is the capacity, innate or acquired for exercising ascendancy over a group

 Authority is not a capacity but a relationship, it is power that is sanctioned and

institutionalized

 Possession of power and the right to influence others (Agamben, 2005; Barker 1994;

Bloom 2010).

 Max Weber identified three types of authority

RATIONAL-LEGAL AUTHORITY/MYSTIC OF OFFICE

  It is that form of power or authority which depends for its legitimacy on formal rules

and established laws which are usually written down and often are complex e.g. a

school

TRADITIONAL AUTHORITY

 Which derives from long established customs, habits and social structures e.g. in

Africa it is believed maturity comes with knowledge

CHARISMATIC AUTHORITY

 It is believed to be from the gift of grace, or when the leader claims that his authority

is derived from a higher power God or spiritual inspiration

 They claim that this authority is superior to the other authorities

 In authority sometimes superiors feel that they have the right to issue commands that

subordinates perceive an obligation to obey.

There is also an aspect of leadership in authority that leadership comes through persuasion or

influence.

There is also coercion i.e. the use of force and power.

EDUCATION AND CONTROL

There are three reasons why education is intimately connected with control

1. Formal education as an institutionalised system needs organized management to ensure

its smooth and efficient functioning

2. There are definite rules and precepts intrinsic to both learning and forms of

discipline/knowledge

3. The school represents the society in microcosm reflects its rules governed by nature
Effective control in education centres round authority, discipline and punishment.

AUTHORITY AND THE TEACHERS ROLE

 There is no doubt that the teacher is in a position of authority because the teacher has

been placed there by whoever has the power to make such appointments

 Teachers are authorized to make sure children learn

 In order to teach the teacher should possess a good deal of knowledge or expertise in

a particular discipline to be taught

FREEDOM AND EDUCATION

 People who do freedom and education are (Hannah, 1993; Young,1993; Sandel,

2010; and Acton,1907)

DEFINITION OF FREEDOM

 Freedom is the ability to choose and to carry out that choice

 Complete social freedom does not exist and it is self-contradictory

 There is no complete freedom in the classroom

 Aristotle has a solution and it’s called the Aristotle golden rule, he says freedom is to

be limited and restrained if it is to be effective.

 For Plato and Socrates freedomis to do with one’s duty to use reason rather than

desire because desire controls and bonds the individual

 Desire is used whenever wrong things are done

 Freedom is following authority

 The nobility of doing what is wanted is morally good

 People in general choose what is correct they only choose what is not correct because

of ignorance.
EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS OF FREEDOM

 Education militates against freedom since education is an initiation into a people’s

culture there is no room of freedom

 Students have got freedom to choose e.g. students choose careers.

 Teachers also have the choice of selecting teaching approaches, methods and

classroom activities

 There is academic freedom in education that freedom is freedom of thinking but

schools are only free if their society is free

 Freedom for school children e.g. students choose which sports to do

 Freedom for parents to choose which school to send their children and to choose

teachers

DATE: 01-07-2014

LECTURER: MR D MOYO

TOPIC: DISCIPLINE AND PUNISHMENT

DEFINITION

DISCIPLINE

The term is derived from the Latin word ‘disco’ which means learn.

It is derived from the word ‘disciple’ meaning follower, not just a follower in the sense of

following a leader or blindly but following because one has chosen to follow and sees

benefits or reasons, logic, necessity, to follow in agreement to certain principles, rules,

morals or beliefs.
 The word discipline refers to the conscious and willing acceptance of and submission to, a

code of framework of rules and regulations designed to order, manage, conduct and control a

system e.g. knowledge, method of thinking or form of behaviour

Discipline is a self-driven state of mind which begins by being externally imposed and ends

up being internalised as voluntary self-control.

FIVE MAJOR AREAS WHERE DISCIPLINE CAN BE SEEN TO OPERATE.

1. Discipline of knowledge within a particular subject area, rules of grammar e.g. English

or the rule of reading or moral rules or rule of teaching arithmetic.

2. Discipline of method e.g. rules of procedure in scientific inquiry and investigation.

3. The discipline of thinking e.g. the rules of logic and academic thinking.

4. Discipline of personality, rules of balance integration, the discipline of personality,

mental health and maturity

5. Discipline of behaviour governed by social institutions.

JUSTIFICATION OF DISCIPLINE IN EDUCATION

In education there is need to establish authority in order to develop in pupils self-control and

discipline

Discipline is part and parcel of education including moral development and it is necessary in

education for effective teaching and learning

PRINCIPLES OF DISCIPLINE
Discipline gives students a feeling of security by showing them that they may not or do

something

Discipline helps develop in children a conscious which will guide decision making and

behavioural control

Discipline involves trying to get students to see the point of order and following whatever is

being ordered.

TYPES OF DISCIPLINE

POSITIVE (SELF-IMPOSED)

Conforming to rules because the individual feels or thinks it is desirable

NEGATIVE (EXTERNAL-IMPOSED)

This results in adoption of instrumental attitudes because of a reward attached or its bribery

in nature.

PUNISHMENT

Action taken by someone in authority when there is a breach of rule(s)

It involves the intentional infliction of pain or something unpleasant on someone who

committed such a breach of rules

It can be seen as a method adopted by human beings in normative groups to uphold the law

and order of their system or society and to restore it when it breaks down.

TYPES OF PUNISHMENT

1. PUNITIVE/RETRIBUTIVE
 It is the eye for an eye approach or the Old Testament approach

Authoritarian and physical in nature

2. REFORMATIVE/ UTILITARIAN

They consider punishment as always bad and must not be allowed despite the outcomes.

Their approach to punishment is avoidance of unwanted behaviour

THEORIES OF PUNISHMENT.

1. THE THEORY OF RETRIBUTION

It is morally just that an offender should be made to suffer punishment for their sins.

2. THEORY OF PREVENTION

Punishment in this case is believed will prevent others and the offender himself from

repeating the crime.

3. THEORY OF PROTECTION

Society has a moral right to demand its protection

4. THEORY OF RESTITUTION

Punishment is seen as a kind of compensation or reparation for wrong done.

PUNISHMENT AND EDUCATION

There is less emphasis on punishment in schools today

There are arguments against punishment in schools which are based on human rights

ARGUMENTS FOR PUNISHMENT IN SCHOOLS

 1. There are good reasons why students must be punished, this is because a school is

there to produce an intellect not a tout and also because society is made of rules and

regulations.

2. Society has rules and regulations and these ought to be imposed and the school also

has rules and regulations.

3. Little can take place in a school where there is chaos.

4. Control is essential in learning and teaching and punishment is a sure and effective

way of achieving that control.

DATE: 08-07-2014

LECTURER: MRS SHAVA

TOPIC: STREAMING AND MIXED ABILITY GROUPING

SOURCES

Bailey, C and Bridges, D (1993): Mixed ability grouping: a Philosophical approach.

Jackson, B (1964) Streaming: An education system in miniature.

Kutnick, P and Roger, C (1994): Grouping in the schools

Reed and Bergman (1995) Streaming in the classroom

TASK

What philosophical arguments have been advanced for and against streaming and mixed

ability grouping?

Mixed ability grouping is justifiable as a way of treating unequal’s equally. Discuss

In your own view which of the two practices helps learners better?

INTRODUCTION

In a bid to maximize the learning of a variety of tasks by teachers and administrators the

placing of pupils in the various groups has become a feature of all classrooms yet how these

groups are made up has been an unending philosophical and psychological debate.

When it comes to bigger groups such as classes two pertinent questions beg answers:

Is it fair to treat different students equally?

Streaming is differentiation by ability between classes on the basis of homogeneity of ability

such that classes in any year group will represent high ability, middle ability and low ability

pupils.

Nelson (1964) categorizes these children into Plato’s three broad classes of society

ARGUMENTS FOR STREAMING

Streaming is based on a liberal philosophy which argues that a fair kind of education is that

which allows children to develop their potential to the fullest

The philosophy argues that children have different cognitive ceilings

Good education should allow children to reach their best, to become the best of themselves.

Those whose ceilings are generally similar should be put together to form a homogenous

group, and they become motivated by their similarities.

Streaming allows learners to proceed at their own pace

Streaming increases teacher efficiency in a number of ways:

The teacher finds enough time to attend to pupils with problems.

The pupils recognize and work with the strength of others.

Pupils within a group are able to help one another ad group discussions help pupils in their

plans and discussion skills

Streaming allows the dedicated teacher to identify the problems of, and develop new

techniques for teaching.

Streaming maintains high academic standards, due to the scarcity of talent or rarity of

excellence in pupils there is need to locate it early and separate children of gold from the

children of silver and children of baser metals (iron).

ARGUMENTS AGAINST STREAMING

Homogenous grouping may become a source of labelling pupils and the concept of self-

fulfilling prophecy creating complex.

Slow learners may give up trying all together as they get demoralized and demotivated.

Performance differences may worsen.

Disciplinary problems can be numerous especially from the slow learners as they may spend

less time on the tasks given.

Instruments of streaming are not always accurate and as a result some pupils become victims

of these instruments.

The academic grading is also a social grading as it reflects the social background, privilege,

accidents and handicaps.

Streaming therefore maintains, recreates and duplicates social stratification in schools

Usually top streams get favourable conditions such as good teachers and plenty of resources

while the bottom streams get a raw deal such as hopeless teachers.

In the end the bottom streams feel rejected.

Homogenous high quality groups do not usually display high level elaborate interaction when

asked to jointly solve a problem, most of them want to work as individuals.

MIXED ABILITY GROUPING

DEFINITION

Classes in any year group are composed of the full ability range of pupils where in each class

is found high flyers, average performers and the mediocre.

ARGUMENTS IN FAVOUR OF MIXED ABILITY GROUPING

Each pupil has something to offer in the learning environment, no pupil is hopeless in

everything as long as he/she has the acceptable level of normalcy irrespective of how slow

the pupil might be in grasping concepts.

It is every individual’s right to receive the best resources a school can offer as per child’s

needs.

Every child deserves an equal opportunity.

Un-streaming is social desirable as it is unfair to have all kids with dirty shirts in one class.

Tolerance and mutual respect are at the centre of mixed ability grouping

Children must be respected as human beings and treated equally

This approach improves children’s self-concept as they see themselves as worthy and educes

chances of a negative self-fulfilling prophecy.

DATE: 15-07-2014

LECTURER: MR D MOYO

TOPIC: AFRICA PHILOSOPHY/PRE-COLONIAL EDUCATON/TRADITIONAL

EDUCATION

Pre-colonial education was the kind of education found in Africa before the coming of the

whites/colonialists/imperialists.
The pre-colonial education was both formal and informal.

African education being informal meant that certain aspects of education like moral education

was not time tabled, was not restricted to a single facilitator. It was everyone’s responsibility

in society e.g. the child was everyone’s child not only the biological parent’s responsibility.

The study of language was also taught at any given time.

Pre-colonial African education being formal meant that there were certain people/experts

chosen or delegated to be responsible for certain teachings/responsibilities and skills among

others.

There were also certain responsibilities that were time-tabled and had teachers who were

responsible for those.

Education was also taught according to age categories.

-Pre-colonial education was lifelong education i.e. from cradle to the grave

Education was also interdependent i.e. all aspects of life were treated as equally important

e.g. moral education was treated equally as vocational training. Both soft and hard skills were

treated equally for the well-being of a person.

Education was thus both mental and physical.

Much emphasis was placed on respect and how to be human.

METHODS OF LEARNING IN THE PRE-COLONIAL EDUCATION SYSTEM

Teaching was done by telling stories or riddles, poetry, proverbs and singing.
Teaching was done through observation e.g. observing how to herd cattle under the

supervision of someone older e.g. older brother. Teaching was done through experience and

practice.

Learning was also through imitation especially dancing and singing.

Learning was done through training which was used for special skills e.g. military training.

PHILOSOPHICAL PRINCIPLES OF THE INDIGENOUS EDUCATION SYSTEM

1. Communalism- education was meant to cultivate a sense of oneness-your

responsibility is mine and mine is yours too. Everything was everyone’s

responsibility. All things were to be done for the well-being of the society. Education

was meant to produce a person who is going to share and use his knowledge for the

well-being and benefit of the communitynot themselves.

2. Instrumentalism or functionalism- education was meant to serve a practical

purpose. There was no bookish education. Emphasis was on self-reliance,

productivity and reliance on inventing and not digester of invention.

3. Holisticism- education was meant to make an individual an expert of all (Jack of all

trades) if not but have an appreciation of all things. You were expected to be life

oriented, everything learnt was supposed to be applicable to your daily necessities or

experiences.

4. Essentialism- pre-colonial educationist believed that there are certain basics in life

that every individual should grasp or appreciate e.g. the use of language, surviving

skills like hunting and gathering, home economics i.e. hygiene, pottery, basketry and

textiles.
 5. Humanism- education in pre-colonial Africa’s major focus was to produce a human

being not an animal. A person who has got feelings, does not think for themselves but

thinks of others too.

DATE: 22-07-2014

LECTURER: MR D MOYO

TOPIC: MISSIONARY COLONIAL EDUCATION TO THE BLACK

Missionary aims

Their main interest was to spread the gospel of Christ

To reap souls to Christ

They wanted to teach the blacks to read this was mainly through reading the bible

The kind of education that the black person needed was to read and get instructions through

reading the bible

These good intentions became fertile grounds for exploitation of the blacks

The African were taught to obey and to forgive

Historical backgrounds
  From 1890-1923 southern Rhodesia was ruled by the British South Africa company

 It encouraged the missionaries to educate the Africans by giving them large tracks of

land to establish their mission stations

 Some missionaries who were given tracks of land were the London Missionary

Society which establish their first mission at Inyathi

 The catholic established their mission at Empandeni

 The Dutch established at Morgenstern.

 The British Methodist at Epworth.

 The SDA establish theirs at Solusi

CHARACTERISTIC OF EDUCATIONAL THOUGHT

 Work in education started as realisation by the missionaries of its importance in

success of their evangelistic assignments

 The main objective of the missionary education was the proclamation of the gospel to

win souls to Christ

 When the colonial government showed interest in the education for the black the

general goals changed and the most change was the shift emphases from a purely

religious education to a diluted semi-secular education

 The new direction in education was aiming at ensuring that the interest of the colonial

master will be continue observed

 There were attempt by both the missionaries and the colonial government to educate

the African away from their culture

  Education has been perceived as a strong force by which to weaken the influence of

the indigenous religion superstition and witchcraft in African societies and give way

to acceptance to Christianity

 The education system was however characterised by lack of co-ordination (education

was not defined how to run each denominate was doing its own interest)

 Missionary dominance in the educational objective in-turn limited the curriculum of

the missionary school to the essentials of Christian life.

 There were 3Rs: reading, writing and arithmetic.

 The narrowness curriculum remained unchanged even after the governance involved

in the education

 Religious education retained its dominance while system grew increasingly bookish

and examination

REASON WHILE MISSIONARIES WERE ENCOURAGED TO EDUCATE THE

AFRICANS

 In colonial Southern Rhodesia rulers formed a minority and depended for their

privileged status for the maintenance of dominating political and economic and social

order over the black majority

 Educational system and institution that involves were designed to sustain white

domination

 Considerable resources were channelled towards the educational demands and it was

free and compulsory

 It was thought that the moral influence will be effective in subduing the African
  A person who successful passed through colonial education was no different from the

one who underwent evangelism in that both ended up being dehumanized,

acculturated, subservient, loyal, uncritical and above all alienated (Peresuh and

Nunduh, 1999)

 Lack of material resources ensured that African education was of the poor quality

ATTITUDE OF MISSIONARIES AND SETTLERS TOWARDS AFRICANS

 Both have a low opinion of African culture.

 Atkinson says expressed in political terms the whites settlers’ prejudices against the

African rests upon the assumption that Europeans alone can provide a good

government

 Africa was referred to as a dark continent and missionaries saw themselves as

bringing light to the dark.

 The natives were taught that the right to equality was not for them

 Education for the black was mainly to prepare them for the manual labour because of

this attitude very little was done to improve the education for the blacks

 The government grants to the missionaries were very small for example in 1901

African were given 0.02% for the national budget in 1912 they were given 0.48%

 1920.7.8% , 1907 mission school were divided into three class with each class

CLASS ONE SCHOOLS

These were boarding schools under European supervision they received the highest

grant.

Much of the time was devoted to industrial and agricultural training.

There was time for religious instruction, lessons in English and time for cleanliness.
THE CLASS TWO SCHOOLS

 These were day schools under the European supervision

 More industrial and educational training was required these schools taught English

cleanliness and religion and they received the second high grants

THE CLASS THREE SCHOOLS

 Village schools under African supervision.

 They were manned by poorly trained teachers whose training was below standard

two.

 The curriculum indicated that they were teaching English , cleanliness discipline

 Poor funding lead to formation more third schools.

 The majority of the black people got poor education as a result.

 The paradox was that there was an increased demand for these schools, the hope by

the African was that this type of education will help them to understand the way of the

European and that they would be able to cope with the demand with the demands of

everyday life.
DATE: 29-07-2014

LECTURER: MR D MOYO

EDUCATION IN COLONIAL ZIMBABWE CONTINUED

KEIGWIN’S EXPERIMENTS AND JEANES SCHOOLS.

All the issues pertaining to Africans where dealt with under the department of Native Affairs.

Up to 1917 the entire budget of the Africans was bunched into one purse.

The department of Native Development was formed in 1918 to separate issues of

development from other issues.

Native education was put under this new department. The first director of Native

development was H Keigwin.

In 1921 Keigwin concluded that there was need for a new strategy on African education

which would seek to encourage the development of a small number of highly efficient

mission centres.
Institutions in existence then included Hope Fountain, Mount Selinda and Saint Augustine.

The idea was to give assistance to these institutions and develop a curriculum especially

suited for the Africans.

These institutions were supposed to experiment with teaching methods suited to the lifestyle

of the Africans and serve as central agencies for the training of teachers for the African

children.

He was convinced that a higher standard of living was possible for the Africans and that to

achieve it there was need for the government to intervene in the work of the missionaries in

the provision of education for the African child.

According to him the missionaries gave the Africans too academic an education in the name

of trying to achieve spiritual ends while industrial education often suffered.

The kind of education offered by the missionaries gave the Africans too much hope and

expectation of things that they will never achieve.

According to Keigwin as recorded by Zvobgo (1986:17) these are the words “if we do not

intended to admit blacks, be it now or by degrees, to encroach on social equality, let us not

put false ideas into their heads nor encourage them to foster hopes of equality.”

He put in place a policy on African education which he said should take the African people

out of what he described as “cold intellectual atmosphere of the classroom” into what he

called “an outdoor training in industrial trades such as building, carpentry and farming.”

KEIGWIN’S JUSTIFICATION
This type of education was more relevant to the lives of the Africans. He ensured that

government established 2 industrial institutions, the 1st one was inDomboshavain 1921and the

2nd one was established in 1922 in Tsholotsho.

Education was used as a tool to perpetuate white dominance over the blacks in spheres of the

economy, politics and any other social services.

Since then government ensured that financial assistance to the education of the blacks so

successive reductions while that of the whites was lavishly funded.

African education was still funded by different denominational missionaries.

The weakest and most numerous of the African school structures were the class 3

schools/kraal schools (schools owned by the community and had no resources).

JEANES SCHOOLS

A wealthy philanthropist by the name Anna T Jeans established a fund that was used to train

teachers who would be deployed in the kraal schools.

Man were trained in Domboshava while women were trained in Hope Fountain.

Emphasis of the curriculum in the Jeans schools was placed on what the colonial government

termed “essentials of education.”

The essentials of education were health, use of the environment, recreation and religion,

dealing with family life in any appropriate manner.

THE DAILY PROGRAM IN THESE SCHOOLS.

The day began at 6.30 am with physical exercises and prayer.

From 07.00-08.30 it was time for literal instruction where they would learn theory on health,

family life, conservation of the environmentetc.

The rest of the day was spent on manual work in building, carpentry and gardening.

This manual work was punctuated by spells of football and other sports.

In building the learners were only allowed to construct pole and daggar huts, there was never

the building of cornered houses as they were considered alien to the Africans.

Both building and carpentry were taught from an essential functionally aspect e.g. in sawing

pupils were asked to select their own tree, cut it down and saw it into planks and use those

planks to manufacture or build chairs or whatever they intended to.

EDUCATION FOR THE WHITES.

The activities for European pupils were not bound by rules of a particular church.

This was because families of the white children resisted the influence of the churches in their

children. In terms of the curriculum one advantage of the white children was that they did not

have to learn a new language whereas the African child had to first acquire English as a

language.

The European child was given an academic curriculum where his mind was trained, activated

and made to think in preparation for leadership and decision making.

The curriculum of the whites also included commercial and technical subjects, all this was

meant to give European children an advantage when it comes to the world of economics.

They were prepared for white collar jobs and their education was funded by the government.

They had well trained teachers and well established infrastructure.

Times for physical and manual work was about 2hrs a day.

CONCLUSIONS.

The efforts by both Keigwin and Jeans could have been borne out of a genuine concern for

the betterment of the lifestyle of the Africans as Keigwin believed that production was central

to the African lifestyle rather than theory and literacy while Jeans realised the importance of

quenching the thirst for academic education by the Africans.

The subsequent implementers of these ideas however may not have had the same spirit that

the originators of the idea had and therefore emphasized more the racial, unsuitedness of

Africans to receive academic or literal instruction.

TASK.

How useful would have Keigwin’s been in present day Zimbabwe

LECTURER: MR D MOYO

TOPIC:THE SUCCESSES OF THE FEDERATION ERA

TASK

The federation era was the most progressive in terms of the education of the African during

the entire colonial era in Rhodesia. Discuss.

REFERENCES.

Atkinson, N.D. (1972). Teaching Rhodesians,

Moyana, T.T. (1990). Education, Liberation and the Creative Act.

Zvobgo, R.J. (1986). Transforming Education.

GENERAL OVERVIEW

After the WW2 there was a growing concern among some British statesman regarding the

relations between racial groups in Central Africa.

They committed themselves to building a multi-racial Commonwealth based on equal

partnerships of different peoples concerned.

This they believed would bring people together into one nation irrespective of colour or race

The Federation of Rhodesia (Northern and Southern) and Nyasaland was established in 1953

as an experiment of multi-racial partnerships and cooperation.

The Federation era shows how the economic policy influenced change and development of a

specific educational philosophy for Africans.

It was characterised by a more liberal approach towards African education than previous eras

however representatives of the two Northern territories were suspicious of attempts to bolster

the power of the whites.

This sense of deep dissatisfaction led to the dissolution of the Federation in December 1963.

SOUTHERN RHODESIA.

THE EDUCATION POLICY UNDER GARFIELD TODD (1954-58)

Todd aimed at improving the education of the African child.

He sought cooperation between the church and the state in terms of planning, organising,

administering, and developing African education.

The Government would provide capitation grants to enable the establishment of more

primary and secondary schools.

State scholarships would be availed for poor students at secondary school level.

Technical and commercial education would be incorporated into the secondary school

curriculum.

Under Todd, there was creation of the local Rhodesian examination body breaking affiliation

with the South African education.

THE FEDERATION EDUCATION ACT OF 1956

EDUCATION FOR NON-AFRICANS

Education was compulsory for children between 7-15years.

Europeans continued to be separated from Asians and coloured children in schools.

Instruction was solely to be conducted in English.

The Minister of Education had the discretion to register or deregister any school and the

schools were funded by the Federal government.

THE EDUCATION FOR AFRICANS

The Act provided for the separation of the Native Education from the division of Native

Affairs.

The Director of Native Education became at the same time the Director of Native

Development.

Funding was the responsibility of the territorial governments.

The changes on the education of the African implied an awareness of the growing

significance of African education in governance.

SHORTCOMINGS OF THE ACT

It was still conservative, there was no departure from the traditional setup.

Educational facilities were divided on racial lines.

European education had the benefit of more funding from the richer Federal budget while

African education was left dependent on the territorial government thin budget which funded

other projects or programmes for African development.

THE FIVE YEAR DEVELOPMENT PLAN OF 1956

The plan was announced when changes introduced by Todd were already being implemented.

The government was to cooperate closely with missionary authorities in extensive building

programs. The intention was to build more primary schools and offer a full educational

course irrespective of racial groups.

More funds will be channelled to teacher education in order to increase facilities in teacher

training institutions.

Additional secondary schools were built since there was only one secondary school which

was Goromonzi.

The second one was Fletcher High which was built during Todd’s reign.

The expansion that was experienced led to overwhelming enrolments with many children

however failing to get places.

The collaboration between the government and the missionaries proved to be a very positive

move and the Africans were relatively happy.

THE NATIVE EDUCATION ACT (1959).

The new Prime Minister Edgar Whitehead did not change but consolidated the policy by

Todd.

More schools had to be established and more funds had to be availed.

The Act authorised the Minister of Native Education to enable a Native advisory board which

was expected to advise him on all matters relating to policy.

The Act levelled working conditions and salary scales of all teachers irrespective of racial

groups.

THE JUDGES COMMISION.

In 1962 a commission chaired by Professor AV. Judges of London University was set up to

investigate issues of education in the country.

Here are some of the recommendations made by the commission:

1. The provision of full primary schooling of all irrespective of racial group.

2. Africans to be provided with a 7year primary course and a three year junior secondary

education leading to a junior certificate (with a strong vocational bias according to the

employment needs of each particular locality).

3. Local authorities were supposed to how greater responsibility for providing primary

education.

4. The territorial government was supposed to show greater responsibility for providing

secondary education.
 5. In future education for all children should be met under the same administrative

director.

6. The discrepancy in salaries between men and women was to be scrapped so that lady

teachers would earn the same as men.

DEVELOPMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

Expansion in teacher training institutions was called for.

Plans were put afoot to open one institution in Salisbury.

The institution was supposed to meet the African children’s problems.

Graduates of junior secondary schools would be enrolled for training courses enabling them

to teach at primary.

A new African teacher training college was set-up in Gwelo.

It was made possible because of the funds from the U.S.A.

The college was called The Bantu Teachers College.

CONCLUSION.

There were some whites who were not happy with the way Todd and Whitehead were

treating the Africans. As such these whites formed a party called the Rhodesia Front which

took power by force from Whitehead. The leader of the party was Ian Douglas Smith and he

was not happy with the reforms that were in place. The rose of Smith culminated in the split

of the Federation.

PHILOSOPHY

MR D MOYO
23-09-2014

SUCCESS OF THR FEDERATION ERA

 Reducing the gap between education of the Whites and that of the blocks (1953-1963)

INTRODUCTION

 The federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland was established in September 1953 as an

experimental in multi-cultural partners and co-operation

 However, representatives of the 2 Northern territories were suspicious of attempts to

bolster white minorities in power

THE EDUCATION POLICY UNDER GARFIELD TODD (1954-58)

 Todd aimed at improving the conditions of the Africans

 He sought greater co-operation between Church and State in terms of planning,

organising, administrating and develop African education

 Government would provide capitation grants to enable the establishment of primary

and secondary schools

 Government and churches would administer and supervise secondry schools

 State scholarships would be availed for poor student for poor students at secondary

school level

 Technical and commercial education would be incorporated into the secondary

schools curriculum

 Created local R.J.C. Board – Breaking affiliation from SA education system

THE FEDERATION EDUCATION ACT OF 1956 – EDUCATION FOR NON AFRICANS

  Compulsory for all children between 7-15 years

 Europeans continued to be separated from Asian and Coloured children in schools

 Instructions to be conducted solely in English, non-English speakers were excepted to

use their mother language only for the 1st 6 months

 The minister had the discretion to register and de-register any private school

 Funded by the Federal Government

EDUCATION FOR THE AFRICANS

 The Act provided for the separation of the Department of Native education from the

division of Native Affair

 The Director of Native Education became the Director of Native Development

 Funding was their responsibility of the territorial government

POSITVE ASPECT(S)

 Changes in the education of the Africans implied an awareness of the growing

significance of African Education in governance

SHORTCOMIMGS OF THE ACT (negatives)

 Conservative – there was no departure from traditional setup where educational

faculties were divided along

 European education had a benefit of more funds from the richer Federal budget while

African education was left to depend on territorial government’s thin budget which

funded other programmes of African Development

THE 5 YEAR DEVELOPMENT PLAN OF 1956

  Announced when changes introduced by Todd were already being implemented (they

were taken abroad)

 Intention – government co-operate closely which with missionary authorities in an

extensive building programme

 To build more primary schools and offer a full primary education course to all pupils

irrespective of the racial groups

 More funds to be channelled to e teacher education in order to increase facilities for

teacher training

 Additional secondary schools were built – beginning with Fletcher

 This expansion led to overwhelming enrolments – many could not get places

 Government then provided funds for establishment of more schools

 This collaboration proved to be very positive more

THE NATIVE EDUCATION ACT (1959)

 The new Prime Minister, Edgar Whitehead did not change but consolidated the policy

by Todd and programmes envisaged by the 5 year plan

 So more schools were to be established and more funds were availed

 The act authorised the Minister of Native Education to establish a Native Education

Advisory Board, competent to advise him on all matters relating to policy

THE JUDGES COMMISSION

 In 1960, a commission chaired by Prof. A.V. Judges of London University was set up

to investigate issues educational

SOME RECOMMENDATIONS
  Full primary schooling for all, irrespective of racial group

 African people to be provided with a 7 year course, 3 years Junior Secondary

education, leading to Junior Certificate level (with strong vocation bias according to

the employment needs of each particular locality )

 Local authorities to shoulder greater responsibility for providing primary education

 Territorial government to shoulder greater responsibility for secondary education and

fund establishment of all new secondary schools

 In future, education for all children should be brought under the same administrative

director

 Scrap the discrepancy in salary between men and women

DEVELOPMENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

 Expansion in teacher training institutions was called for

 Plans were put a foot to open 1 institution in Salisbury and admit African students in

the Bulawayo’s Teachers’ College – these would then teach at higher primary and

lower secondary schools

 Graduates of Junior secondary school could not enrol for training courses enabling

them to teach standards iv, v and vi

 Ministry allowed the establishment of a training centre for candidates who had passed

A level who would be needed to teach forms 1 and 2s

 A new teacher training college for African teacher was built at Gweru, with U.S

assistance ( Bantu Teachers’ College )

CRITIQUE
  The Africans felt that the reforms were cosmetics, that they did not address the real

issues of inequalities which were as a result of racism

 Political parties led by Blacks threatened a general strike that would paralyse the

governance of all sectors

 Blacks teachers lives were threatened as they were accused of being sell-outs by their

African counterparts if they did not join either party, they did, they were dismissed

from their post by the ministry of education

27 JANUARY 2016

MR D MOYO
FEBRUARY 3, 2016

PHILOSOPHY

MR L MOYO

ZIMBABWE EDUCATION CHALLENGES: THE SECOND DECADE

 Challenges are sub-divided into two, that is, school based and National Challenges

 School based challenges are those that affect school or schools in a specific given area

 But the national challenges are those that affect all the schools in the country

 Some challenges include

1. Shortage of literature resources

2. Unqualified and in-experienced teachers

3. Hot-seating

4. In-adequate apparatus

5. Streaming

6. Limited special subjects, e.g. art, P.E

 Results in discrimination of subjects, because some of them are being

taught parallel to the main curriculum

 In the first decade after independence, the education system in Zimbabwe reached its

peak and was heraldedas the best in Africa which was not so, based on fallacy

 In the last decade (2006-2016), education has been pushed to its decline by power and

politics

BROAD NATIONAL CHALLENGES

1. State and parents failure to afford the cost of quality schooling

 2. In-effective curriculum not relevant to socio-economic needs

3. Poor attitude of both teachers and students,

4. Corruption and ineptitude of the people running the system

5. Mismanagement, misgovernance, inconsistent policies

6. Deterioration of learning institutions infrastructure, disrepair and teaching materials

disappearing

7. Movement of teachers due to low salaries

8. School drop-outs

9. High examination fees

10. Government failure to finance education, e.g. donors end up assisting

LESSONS FROM HISTORY

 According to ZANU’s interpretation of the promise of the liberation war, after

independence, everyone was to be educated “equally”, education for all, free

compulsory

 Unfortunately, the post-independence curriculum did not, and still does not, cater for

the different level of intelligence, for different talents, or for the different ways people

can advantage of the opportunities

 Education in Zimbabwe is non-democratic