Aug 12, 2015 - school pupils and teachers for assisting in data collection. ... List of ..... in secondary schools and STEM lecturers in vocational and tertiary.
Diagnostic Study on Status of STEM in Zimbabwe Collaborative Research By
Bindura University of Science Education and Higherlife Foundation 2016
Compiled by: Gadzirayi C.T., Bongo P. P., Ruyimbe B., Bhukuvhani C. and Mucheri T.
i
Acknowledgements Sincere thanks go to Bindura University of Science Education and Higherlife Foundation for their unwavering financial and material support during the whole period of this diagnostic study. Special thanks go to the Post Graduate Centre of Bindura University of Science Education for coordinating the research activities. We owe many thanks to Ms Maramba for chairing all the planning and feedback meetings for this research.
WE are also indebted to all stakeholders who participated in this study for providing much valuable information that culminated in this report. We would like to express many thanks to school pupils and teachers for assisting in data collection. We would also like to thank the Works Department from Bindura University of Science Education and Administration Department of Higherlife Foundation for providing transport.
Last but not least, the research team is grateful to the support given to it by all my workmates at Bindura University of Science Education and Higherlife Foundation. Thank you all for your wonderful support.
ii
Abbreviations ‘A’ Level: ‘O’ Level: BUSE: CDU: CUT: CZI: EMTP: ESAP: FAO: GDP: GoZ: HDI: HIT: HLF: IBPM: ICT: IMF: IPMZ: MLPAE&VT: MoHTEST&D MoPSE: NGO: NUST: PSC: S&T: SDA: SDC: SDG: STEM: STI: UK: UN: UNDP: UNESCO: UNICEF: WASH: ZELA: ZIE: ZIMASSET: ZIMCHE: ZIMSEC:
Advanced Level Ordinary Level Bindura University of Science Education Curriculum Development Unit Chinhoyi University of Technology Confederation of Zimbabwe Industry Education Media Technology Economic Structural Adjustment Program Food and Agriculture Organisation Gross Domestic Product Government of Zimbabwe Human Development Index Harare Institute of Technology Higherlife Foundation Integrated Building Performance Model Information, Communication and Technology International Monetary Fund Institute of Personnel Management of Zimbabwe Ministry for Liaising on Psychomotor Activities in Education & Vocational Training Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education Science and Technology Development Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Non-Governmental Organisations National University of Science and Technology Public Service Commission Science and Technology School Development Authority School Development Committee Social Development Goals Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics Science, Technology and Innovation United Kingdom United Nations United Nations Development Program United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Fund United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund Water, Sanitation and Health Zimbabwe Early Learning Assessment Zimbabwe Institute of Engineers Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education Zimbabwe Schools Examinations Council
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS Abbreviations ............................................................................................................................. iii List of Tables ............................................................................................................................... v List of Figures............................................................................................................................. vi List of Appendices ..................................................................................................................... vii Executive Summary .................................................................................................................... 1 1.0 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 4 1.1 Background........................................................................................................................... 4 1.2 Justification........................................................................................................................... 5 1.3 Objectives ............................................................................................................................. 5 1.4 Operational STEM Conceptual framework ............................................................................ 6 1.5 Study Area ............................................................................................................................ 8 2.0 Materials and Methods .......................................................................................................... 8 2.1 Desk reviews ...................................................................................................................... 8 2.2 Interviews .........................................................................................................................10 2.3 Observations.....................................................................................................................10 2.4 High level STEM Education Interactive Dialogue ...............................................................11 3.0 Results .................................................................................................................................11 3.1 Status and Context of STEM education in Zimbabwe Based on Secondary Data .................11 3.1.3 Zimbabwe's STEM Policy Position .....................................................................................15 3.1.4 School Enrolments .............................................................................................................17 3.1.4.1 Gross Enrolment ......................................................................................................17 3.1.4.2 Net Enrolment Ratio (Secondary Education Exam Classes) .......................................18 3.1.4.3 Participation in science subjects ...................................................................................20 3.1.4.4 Schools Offering ‘A’ Levels by Province .......................................................................20 3.1.4.5 Pass Rates .......................................................................................................................22 3.1.4.6 Schools Infrastructure in Zimbabwe .........................................................................26 3.1.4.10 Science Teacher Establishment.....................................................................................32 3.2 Stakeholder Submissions on Challenges faced in STEM Education Delivery ...........................35 3.2.1 Teachers and Lecturers’ Perspectives on STEM ..............................................................35 3.2. 2 Students’ Perspectives ...................................................................................................35 3.2.3 Perspectives of Industry, Professional Bodies, Development Partners and Multi- ..............36 Lateral Agencies.....................................................................................................................36 3.3 Opportunities for the Enhancement of STEM Education .......................................................36 3.3.1 Students’ Perspectives ....................................................................................................36 3.3.2 Teachers and Lecturers’ Perspectives .............................................................................37 3.3.3 Perspectives of Industry, Professional Bodies, Development Partners and Multi- ..............38 Lateral Agencies.....................................................................................................................38 4.0 Discussion of Findings ..........................................................................................................38 5.0 Conclusion and Recommendations ........................................................................................40 6.0 References ............................................................................................................................45 List of Appendices .....................................................................................................................47
iv
List of Tables
Table 1. Zimbabwe’s economic outlook .................................................................................................... 12 Table 2. Socio Economic Overview .......................................................................................................... 13 Table 3. Zimbabwe's Comparative Advantage ......................................................................................... 14 Table 4. Students Enrolment in Form 4 and 6, 2012 - 2014 ...................................................................... 18 Table 5. Number of schools with A ‘Level by Province, 2014.................................................................. 20 Table 6. Ordinary Level Candidature and Science Subject Entries ........................................................... 21 Table 7. ‘O’ Level Pass Rates across Subjects ........................................................................................... 22 Table 8. ‘A’ Level Candidature and Pass Rates in Science Subjects (2013-2014) ..................................... 24 Table 9. November 2015 Ó’ Level pass rates ............................................................................................. 24 Table 10. Number of Secondary Schools’ Main Source of Electricity, 2014 ............................................ 28 Table 11. Number of Secondary Schools by Type of Access to Water, 2014 ............................................ 29 Table 12. Distribution of Secondary Schools by Province, 2014 ............................................................... 31 Table 13. Number of Schools with Laboratories by Type and Province .................................................... 31 Table 14. Establishment of science teachers by Province in 2013 ............................................................ 32 Table 15. Pre- Service Students Enrolment Schedule: State Universities 2015 ........................................ 32
v
List of Figures Figure 1: STEM Operational Conceptual Framework ................................................................. 8 Figure 2: Study area map ........................................................................................................... 8 Figure 3: Photos showing proceedings from the High Level Stem Dialogue ..............................16 Figure 4: Total Candidature ‘A’ Level vs ‘O’ Level .....................................................................20 Figure 5: ‘A’ Level Candidates in STEM Subjects .....................................................................21 Figure 8: Blair toilets at a rural school .......................................................................................28 Figure 9: Technological and Teledensity profile of Zimbabwe ....................................................30 Figure 11: Focus Group Discussions with students ...................................................................35 Figure 12: Scientific innovation at school ..................................................................................37
vi
List of Appendices
Appendix A: Institutions visited During STEM Diagnostic Study..................................................47 Appendix B: Programme for the High level STEM Education Dialogue for Stakeholders ................48 Appendix C. Interview/desk study checklist ...............................................................................50 Appendix D: Research Work Plan .............................................................................................59 Appendix E: Observation guide .................................................................................................65
vii
Executive Summary Introduction This report looks at the current status of STEM Education, its challenges and opportunities. This was done in order to determine the context in which STEM Education is being conceptualised and applied. It also looks at access to quality STEM services for Zimbabwean children, capacity of service delivery systems in view of the STEM needs, the use of allocated resources in STEM Education. The report closes with a set of recommendations aimed at strengthening STEM and pedagogy for improving STEM learning outcomes. The socio-economic future of Southern Africa lies in the region’s ability to embrace Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education as the main drivers of economic development. This has been necessitated by the fact that economic growth in the 21st century is being driven by the nation's ability to both generate ideas and translate them into innovative products and services. STEM education is an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to learning that provides hands-on and relevant learning experiences for students. Thus, STEM teaching and learning goes beyond the mere acquisition and transfer of knowledge. It engages and equips students with critical thinking, problem solving, creative and collaborative skills, and ultimately establishes connections between the school, workplace, community and the global economy. Study Methodology The research was largely based on desk review, key informant interviews, observations, focus group discussions and the interactive high level STEM Dialogue. Structured interviews and focus group discussions were conducted with four categories of respondents: ● STEM students in secondary, vocational and tertiary institutions (starting from Form 4 Sciences) ● STEM teachers in secondary schools and STEM lecturers in vocational and tertiary institutions ● Industry, professional bodies, development partners and multi-lateral agencies ● Policy makers Status of STEM
Policy Environment Zimbabwe’s overall Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) regulatory framework is outlined in a number of key policy documents that include the Research Act of 1986 and its subsequent amendments, the Science and Technology (S&T) Policy of 2002, the Biotechnology Policy of 2005, the Biotechnology Act of 2006 and the ICT Policy Framework of 2006.
1
Learning Environment Learning environment for sciences is not conducive because of the economic situation in the country. There is a dearth of infrastructure that supports sciences and mathematics. There are few laboratories in schools that support the STEM Initiative. “The major problem here in Zimbabwe is lack of focus. Today there is much noise about STEM but come two years down the line, this will be history. No one will be talking about this. Moreover, there are also issues related to a poor economy…..and poor planning”. Unnamed Industrialists 2016 Resources Key informants and secondary data reviewed during the research indicated that there is shortage of laboratories, equipment, chemicals, and other paraphernalia associated with STEM education in the country. There is a shortage of STEM teachers, what is emerging also is that there is currently an artificial shortage of STEM Teachers as the majority have opted to look for work in the Diaspora. Challenges Some students have negative attitude towards science education, so they do not enrol in STEM programmes Inadequate teacher science teacher development in a context where the teacher is good at theory, but there are not enough facilities and opportunities for practicals Lack of resources The local job market is not absorbing STEM graduates Number of schools offering sciences are limited Universities do not accept students with lower points e.g. in Medicine Lack of clarity on the basics and rationale for STEM Opportunities Study science as split subjects early as well as splitting of science studies into science for general knowledge and science for future STEM careers Syllabi review to make sciences more practical, with need for guided supervision Possibility for use of indigenous/local languages in science instruction Establishment of science museums, Olympiads and exhibitions at various levels and platforms Each school stands to be supported and funded to have science classes Pure sciences could be introduced starting from Form 1 Promotion of innovation at schools and tertiary institutions, especially innovations that provide practical solutions to problems in society e.g. energy. At one of the schools visited, there is a science club that makes sanitizer for use at the school 2
Use of learning and research technology will compel everyone to be technologically compliant, e.g. broadband voucher system that is mandatory and open to everyone, even nonscience majors There is more appetite for STEM subjects, industry is keen on people with who are problem solvers (21st Century Skills) Reviewing and customising the STEM curriculum to suit the needs of local industry Industry and development partners can invest under Build Operate Transfer or Private Public Partnerships Recommendations There is need to put in place mechanisms to mitigate social discrimination amongst students – those who are learning in under-resourced and marginalized schools. In the same vein there should be a mechanism to support education in other subjects, since subjects have a correlation. There is need to organize more field trips and trips to the shop floor, as well as career guidance for students, starting right from primary school, through to tertiary level. There is need to introduce specialization earlier in life, particularly starting from ECD level. Pure sciences could start at Form 1. In addition, there must be early talent identification that should run concurrently with interventions to support slow starters so that they get an opportunity to use their skills to contribute towards national development. The STEM initiative should focus on a complete package that includes investment in infrastructure instead of just focusing on payment of school fees. It should also consider full scholarships through to university. There is need to use different types of media to disseminate information on STEM. Students prefer pamphlets so that they learn about STEM. There is also scope for the use of social media platforms like Whatsapp There is need to have computer literacy and/or certification compulsory for every learning instructor in formal education systems, from ECD to tertiary level so that they are effective instructors who can guide learners in the context of STEM education. There is need to change assessment of STEM to be more practical for developing scientific literacy, project based learning encourages creativity and innovation. There is need to undertake wide stakeholder consultations and collaboration on STEM issues in a bottom up approach that will involve the student, the parent/guardian, teacher, government, industry and other agencies involved in human development on an ongoing basis. There is need to mandate for lower student teacher ratios that do not result in teachers being overburdened with the demands of STEM education, e.g. field work, demonstrations, practicals, etc. There is need to pursue alternative learning and educational content delivery methods e.g elearning can enable access to a larger number of students and encourage self paced learning 3
1.0 Introduction The socio-economic future of Southern Africa lies in the region’s ability to embrace Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education as the main drivers of economic development. The ability to use STEM related knowledge innovatively, depends upon an adequately capacitated and scientifically literate population. The provision of a sound STEM education in all institutions of learning is therefore imperative. This report gives the background and status of STEM education in Zimbabwe. 1.1 Background Economic growth in the 21st century is being driven by the nation's ability to both generate ideas and translate them into innovative products and services. A strong consensus is emerging among political, scientific, business, and education leaders that a country’s ability to innovate and compete in the global marketplace is directly tied to the ability of the education system to adequately prepare all learners in STEM. The saturation of technology in most fields means that all students-not just those who plan to pursue a STEM profession-will require a solid foundation in STEM to be productive members of the workforce. Studies show that STEM is more than an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. STEM education is an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to learning that provides hands-on and relevant learning experiences for students. STEM teaching and learning goes beyond the mere acquisition and transfer of knowledge. It engages and equips students with critical thinking, problem solving, creative and collaborative skills, and ultimately establishes connections between the school, workplace, community and the global economy. It is nationally acknowledged that Zimbabwe continues to face economic and social challenges that are a significant risk to human development gains of the last ten years. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) indicated that, despite progress in implementing macroeconomic and structural reform, Zimbabwe’s “economic prospects remain difficult” and the country is in “debt distress.” Research findings recently published by the World Bank and Elsevier highlighted that Sub-Saharan Africa’s research output in STEM lags behind that of other subject areas significantly: http://drpfconsults.com/understanding-the-basics-of-stemeducation/. As evidence, it was shown that research in the Physical Sciences and STEM made up only 29% of all research in Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa. Furthermore, it was shown that the share of STEM research in Sub-Saharan Africa has marginally declined by 0.2% annually since 2002. The findings also showed that in 2012, the quality of STEM research in Sub-Saharan Africa, as measured by relative citation impact, was 0.68 (32 percent below the global average). This was below that of all disciplines in Sub-Saharan Africa (0.92) 4
and the global average (1.00), and it has virtually stayed the same since 2003. However although a lot has been said in recent times about STEM Education in Zimbabwe, not much scientific research has been done on establishing the context in which STEM education is delivered, identifying the challenges faced in the delivery of STEM education, investigating opportunities for the enhancement of STEM education, and identifying the magnitude of STEM research in Zimbabwe. This study sought to pursue research gaps in STEM education in Zimbabwe. 1.2 Justification Global competitiveness of any country revolves around its ability to create opportunities for its citizenry in terms of economic and social development. STEM education has claimed space on debate tables and national strategic plans as it is widely argued that the foundational skills to build innovativeness, adoptability, critical thinking and non-routine problem solving revolve around STEM education. Developed countries such as USA, Canada and Singapore have robust measures and policies to promote STEM education. According to the Science Pioneers, the USA can only maintain its global leadership and competitiveness if it continues to make STEM fields a national priority. In tandem with economic blueprints and full industrialization ambitions for most developing countries such as Zimbabwe, the need to promote STEM education cannot be overemphasised but the dearth of scholarly evidence to drive policy around STEM remain a bottleneck. The critical skills needed to champion mining, agriculture, ICT and manufacturing industries development hinge on STEM education. It is on this background that this study sought to ignite policy dialogue on STEM Education by unpacking current STEM status, challenges and opportunities in the context of Zimbabwe as well as proffer policy recommendations. 1.3 Objectives The overall objective was to carry out a diagnostic study of the status of STEM education in Zimbabwe with a view to inform policy. The specific objectives were; I. II. III. IV.
Describe the status of STEM education in Zimbabwe and the context in which it is delivered Identify the challenges faced in the delivery of STEM education Identify opportunities for the enhancement of STEM education Formulate recommendations on short, medium and long-term strategies that can form the basis for evidence-based policy interventions and programmes to improve the delivery of STEM education in Zimbabwe.
5
1.4 Operational STEM Conceptual framework In this study, STEM was taken to mean Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics disciplines, pedagogical approach, a people’s value system and as also considered as a way of life. This desk research looked at the STEM policy position, curriculum choices and industry roles in STEM education. STEM is viewed as a key driver of economic growth especially in the primary economic sector. STEM EDUCATION
6
STEM EDUCATION
POLICY
CURRICULA CHOICES
KEY STAKEHOLDERS
STAKEHOLDERS
PRIMARY STAKEHOLDERS
TERTIARY STAKEHOLDE RS
SECONDARY STAKEHOLDE RS
ECONOMIC
SOCIO POLITICAL
CLIMATE CHANGE
ECOLGICAL
RETHINKING STEM for Optimum HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT
7
INCREASED ECONOMIC DEVELPMENT
Figure 1: STEM Operational Conceptual Framework
1.5 Study Area The research was largely based on desk review, but also focused on collecting opinions with regards to the status of STEM education in Zimbabwe from a number of key stakeholders as identified by the STEM value chain. The first category of key informants was selected from secondary schools where focus group discussions were conducted with a mixture of students doing ‘O’ and ‘A’ level across the various disciplines of Sciences, Arts and Commercials. The average size of the each group was 15 per school. Furthermore interviews were also done with the School heads and heads of science departments of the various schools. The opinions were gathered from schools in Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Bulawayo and Harare provinces.
Figure 2: Study area map
2.0 Materials and Methods 2.1 Desk reviews This was done in order to determine the context in which STEM status is being conceptualised and applied, the challenges faced by the education sector in recent times, access to quality STEM services for Zimbabwean children, capacity of service delivery systems in view of the STEM needs, the use of allocated financial resources in STEM Education, strategies for STEM strengthening and pedagogy for improving STEM learning outcomes. Documents on STEM policies on gender, children with disabilities and their implementation and availability and access to learning materials were reviewed. The review process mainly focused on the period 8
commencing 2013 to 2018. The status of STEM teaching, learning materials and school/college infrastructure was reviewed. The review considered the intended and unintended effects of the STEM intervention, both negative and positive. Possible tried and tested solutions to the challenges encountered in the STEM education sector were reviewed and analysed. That added value during the development of recommendations as the information provided a wider perspective on how to tailor future STEM education strategies. Thus reducing the possible risks in future STEM interventions. Desktop review refers to seeking facts, general information on a topic, historical background, study results, etc., that have been published or exist in public documents. This information was obtained from the following sources among others:
MoHTESD and MoPSE planning documents MOPSE EMTP Operational Plan (2013-2015) Minutes and reports from STEM Steering Committee, and Education Sector Performance Review meetings CDU CABINET documents ZIMSEC ZIMCHE PSC documents NGO forum documents Ministry of finance Min of psychomotor UNICEF UNESCO Zimbabwe Early Learning Assessment (ZELA) Reports Programme budgets and expenditure reports UNICEF Situation Analysis of Women and Children Education Sector Analysis (2015) Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (2014) Annual reports from ministries Photos in the archives BUSE Baseline reports Chamber of mines CZI IPMZ Schools/colleges
While it may not be able to answer specific questions, desk research can provide a lot of extremely useful information, much of it for free. Finding the right information may take some 9
legwork but it will help in making informed decisions about how future STEM programming can be done. 2.2 Interviews Structured interview schedules were prepared for four categories of respondents who were purposively sampled. ● STEM students in secondary, vocational and tertiary institutions (starting from Form 4 Sciences) ● STEM teachers in secondary schools and STEM lecturers in vocational and tertiary institutions ● Industry, professional bodies, development partners and multi-lateral agencies ● Policy makers (e.g MoPSE, MOHTESD, and Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Education) Interview schedules were organised in such a way that they became in sync with the four objectives of the study. The first section contained questions probing the status of STEM education in Zimbabwe and the context within which it is delivered. The second section of the questionnaire focused on identification of challenges faced in the delivery of STEM education. The third section of the interview guides probed on opportunities in STEM education, while the fourth section focused on recommendations to improve the delivery of STEM education in the country. In order to draw responses from a wide range of experiences, opinions and contexts, the interviews were held in secondary schools in Bindura Urban, Mashonaland Central, East and West Provinces, Harare and Bulawayo Metropolitan. Policy makers targeted include Education Officers for Sciences, heads and/or senior staff of tertiary institutions (NUST, HIT, BUSE, and CUT). Industry, Professional Bodies, Development Partners and Multi-Lateral Agencies interviewed include those from FAO of the UN, SADC Waternet, Environment Africa, World Vision, CZI, among others. 2.3 Observations These help to ground truth and triangulate the issues under the study, confirm or challenge other data and interpretation of data as well as to provide data. Observations of prevailing processes and outcomes were captured by video and photo documentation. Such graphic ways of communicating will show the nature of STEM programme and its outputs. Video records of education authorities, school administrators, learners, NGOs and captains of industry were also made to show the understanding and misconceptions about the purpose of STEM in national development. Observation schedules were run concurrently with interviews in order to minimise disruption. A school transect, observatory walk through an institution, was done taking note of building designs, drainage, water supply, electricity, furniture, reading materials, etc. The 10
observatory walks gave greater insights into the aspects of a school life that could act as indicators of STEM activities. The following were observed among other aspects; ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
School infrastructure Management and administrative structures STEM programme design Leadership and gender roles in STEM Conflict indicators in curriculum choices Performance levels and trend in STEM School enrolment Records on capacity of the education system at national, provincial, district and school levels to support STEM Examine how financial resources utilised Identify explicit innovations on the ground from the implementation of STEM Note the effect of contextual (micro environment) and organisational factors on implementation progress of STEM Indicators showing whether the various components STEM have been implemented in a cost efficient way to deliver value for money.
The research findings were qualitatively analysed using common themes which emerged from the key informant interviews and focus group discussions and presented in narrative form. Quantitative data from desk reviews was presented in the form of tables and graphs. 2.4 High level STEM Education Interactive Dialogue Data was also collected based on proceedings of the high level STEM Education Interactive Dialogue held at the BUSE campus on 2 March 2016. After the presentation of a public lecture on STEM education, senior key representatives of key stakeholders constituted a panel that debated on STEM education. These included Government, UN agencies, development partners, local and regional academic institutions, diplomatic corps, industry and commerce. Also in attendance at the dialogue were primary stakeholders in education like teachers, school pupils, university students and parents/guardians. The dialogue yielded useful information on STEM rationale, policy issues, strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and recommendations. 3.0 Results 3.1 Status and Context of STEM education in Zimbabwe Based on Secondary Data 3.1.1 Zimbabwe’s Economic Overview The Zimbabwean economy experienced average growth rates of 8.05% during the period 2009 – 2012, following abandonment of the inflation ravaged local currency in favour of a basket of internationally currencies commonly referred to as multi-currencies. The exciting growth was 11
experienced after a prolonged period of contraction between 2000 and 2008 when GDP per capita shrank by half and gross fixed capital formation almost varnished (Table 1). Table 1. Zimbabwe’s economic outlook Macroeconomic Outlook Indicator
2016(F)
2015(E)
2014
2013
2012
GDP (US$ Millions) Market Prices
14,744
14,342
14,200
13,490
12,390
Annual GDP Growth %
2.8
1.0
3.2
4.5
10.6
GDP Per Capita (US$)
$872
$848
$840
$820
$770
Inflation (Annual Average) %
-2.3
-1.6
-0.1
1.7
3.8
Source **http://data.worldbank.org/country/Zimbabwe
Cognisant of the onerous task ahead, the government launched a new economic development blueprint ZIMASSET (Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Social Transformation) in 2013. Among other things ZIMASSET seeks to address the skewed economic conditions, as manifested by a negative external debt position which has limited access to new lines of credit, collapsing infrastructure, which is in now in need of critical repair and finally collapsing household disposable incomes due to job losses. The general economic outlook remains grim due to a host of factors, growth has slowed down considerably to an average of 2% between 2013 and 2015 with government expecting an outlook projection of 2.7%, which looks very optimistic when considered against a background of a failed agricultural season due to drought and falling internationally commodities which will undermine performance in mining and agriculture which constitute 30% of GDP. Added to that remittances by Zimbabweans living abroad have been a crucial injection into the economy accounting for circa US$1 Billion inflows annually, remittances for 2016 may turn out significantly lower because the bulk of Zimbabweans working abroad are in South Africa, whose currency the Rand has collapsed against the United States Dollar, with the former having lost 36% of its value in the last 12 months. The deflation experienced during the better part of 2014 and the whole of 2015 was certainly a signal of the times which lay ahead. 3.1.2 Socio Economic Overview The social development aspects of Zimbabwe have been a mirror reflection of the mainstream economy, with bursts of growth in the 80s the early postcolonial period on the back of massive investment by government in the social sectors of education and health. There was an economic slow-down in the 90s when the government adopted the Economic Structural Adjustment Program with support from the International Monetary Fund, contraction in the nineties when land redistribution was the key focus and resurgence post 2009. This pattern is discernible when one considers the trend of life expectancy since birth as well as mean years in school (Table 2). 12
According to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Zimbabwe had a Human Development Index value of 0.509 in 2014, which placed the country in the low human development category – at a position of 155 out of 188 countries and territories. On a linear basis this is an increase of 16.48 % between the periods, 1980 to 2014. One area where the country has made significant progress is in the category ‘Mean Years in Schooling’ which grew by 128% between 1980 and 2014. As such it is not a coincidence that Zimbabwe is ranked number one in Africa in terms of literacy.
Table 2. Socio Economic Overview
Year
Life Expectancy Expected years Mean years of GNI at birth of schooling schooling capita PPP$)
per HDI (2011 value
1980
59.4
6.5
3.2
2,314
0.437
1985
61.9
9.7
4
2,318
0.498
1990
59.6
9.8
4.5
2,432
0.499
1995
50.3
9.8
5.5
2,286
0.465
2000
41.7
9.9
6.5
2,363
0.428
2005
41.8
9.6
6.8
1,600
0.411
2010
49.6
10.5
7.3
1,442
0.461
2011
51.6
10.7
7.3
1,491
0.474
2012
53.7
10.9
7.3
1,605
0.491
2013
55.7
10.9
7.3
1,624
0.501
2014
57.5
10.9
7.3
1,615
0.509
Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2015, Briefing Note for Countries on the 2015, Human Development Report Despite the nascent HDI gains registered over the last five years, a significant portion of the Zimbabwean population remains very poor. The Zimbabwe Poverty Atlas for 2015, that poverty was very widespread especially in the rural areas; with eight out ten the country’s provinces recording poverty prevalence rates in the range 65% to 76%. The two exceptions were
13
Matabeleland North were poverty prevalence was highest at 85.7% and lowest in Harare at 36.4%. Strong Competitive Advantage to Support Recovery Despite the perceived downside risks – precarious BOP position, infrastructure decay, collapsing disposable incomes, job losses, drought induced food shortages and collapsing global commodity prices. Zimbabwe retains a comparative advantage from four distinct areas as presented below (Table 3):
Table 3. Zimbabwe's Comparative Advantage
Human Capital
Mining
Highest Literacy Rates in SSA above 91%
2nd largest platinum deposits globally
Highly educated and skilled workforce
Largest known coal based methane reserves in SSA Vast deposits of Gold, Coal, Nickel and Chrome
Agriculture
Tourism
The country is set on a highly fertile plateau Victoria Falls is one of the '7 Wonders of the and was historically the breadbasket of World' Southern Africa Traditional export crops such as Tobacco and Tremendous natural wildlife assets supported Cotton have potential to earn US$700 Million by a vast national park system (larger than annually Belgium) Endowed with the South-eastern lowveld, one of Sub Saharan Africa's lowest cost sugar producer
14
3.1.3 Zimbabwe's STEM Policy Position There is no agreed definition of policy. Simply put, policy is a definite course of action to guide present and future decisions (Torjman, 2005). Policies are decisions taken by those with the mandate to do so on particular issues or resources, with indications of the strategies and means of implementing the decisions. Those decisions are usually expressed in official statements and codified in formal documents subject to the vision, mission, goals and objectives of the decision makers with regard to their stakeholders. Policy is composed of goals and methods adopted by governments in order to influence certain outcomes - economic, environmental, political, etc. It could be in the form of written or spoken statements aimed at solving particular problems. Policy consists of three main elements: objectives or goals, instruments for achieving those objectives, and rules for operating those instruments (Colman and Young, 1989). Education policy development in Zimbabwe has been very complex. There are many factors that have influenced the policy process. These include political, historical, sociological and economic aspects as well as current forces of globalisation. Chapman and Austin (2002) observe that, “there is a general tension and sometimes a direct trade-off between the political necessity to expand enrolments, the moral imperative to increase equity, the educational desire to raise quality and the overwhelming need to control costs”. The current policy environment in Zimbabwe is very fluid because of the turbulent economic and political situation. In analysing the factors that were at play in the policy making processes in Zimbabwe, there are colonial and postcolonial influences to be taken into consideration. At the time of independence in 1980, Zimbabwe’s policies were very much shaped by scientific socialism. This was a natural choice, given the fact that the war of independence was aimed at the eradicating a capitalist society whose pillars were based on race. The new government was seeking social equity and the redistribution of resources to achieve its goals. In education, the major policies taken were to widen access. The second challenge was to fill the skills gap caused by the exodus of Whites. Many Whites left the country just before independence in 1980 and continued to emigrate well after independence. The government therefore wanted to train indigenous people to improve the local labour market. There was an assumption that tackling the quantitative expansion first would be followed by qualitative improvements. Education is viewed as the engine to development, however in many African countries a special emphasis has been given to science and technology. In Zimbabwe, the aim was to stimulate the generation of scientific and technological capabilities in all sectors of the economy, and thereby unleash the power of S & T for national development. Much of Zimbabwe’s research effort has been directed at improvements in agriculture. STEM Education attempts to transform the typical teacher-centred classroom by encouraging a curriculum that is driven by problem-solving, discovery, exploratory learning, and require students to actively engage a situation in order to 15
find its solution. Government came up with a Science and Technology Policy that led to the creation of the Ministry of Science and Technology Development in 2005. Later, however, that policy needed to be updated to take into account new technological developments and address new national challenges that had emerged (GoZ 2012). Zimbabwe’s overall Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) regulatory framework is outlined in a number of key policy documents that include the Research Act of 1986 and its subsequent amendments, the Science and Technology (S&T) Policy of 2002, the Biotechnology Policy of 2005, the Biotechnology Act of 2006 and the ICT Policy Framework of 2006. Every socioeconomic sector of the economy has aspects that can be enhanced through Science, Technology and Innovation (STI). To manage all that, this Policy presents six primal goals through which all efforts should be channelled. These are: • Strengthen capacity development in STI. A key provision under this primal goal relating to STEM is that “Pupils at primary and secondary school should spend at least 30% of their overall time studying science subjects. This translates to a requirement for every O’ Level secondary student to study mathematics and at least two other science subjects, as mathematics is already a compulsory subject of study”, (Second STI Policy Document 2012: 5). • Learn and utilise emerging technologies to accelerate development. • Accelerate Commercialisation of Research Results. • Search for scientific solutions to global environmental challenges. • Mobilise resources and Popularise science and technology. • Foster international collaboration in STI. Zimbabwe is now moving towards mainstreaming science and technology, science and mathematics popularly known as STEM, (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) in its education system so that it can drive its economy hinged on science and technology as evidenced by the following policy pronouncements (High Level STEM Dialogue, 2016).
Figure 3: Photos showing proceedings from the High Level Stem Dialogue
16
“We have realised it as a problem that we only emphasise science and mathematics when pupils are now in secondary schools and therefore we will not be able to produce engineers, scientists, electricians and so on because science and mathematics is required in those particular fields and those are the ones that develop the nation. It is in the best interest of the country that we make sure that every student who is enrolled in university has an appreciation of science and mathematics”, said the Deputy Minister of Higher Education Godfrey Gandawa during a parliamentary debate in October 2015. http://insiderzim.com/science-the-way-to-go-forzimbabwe-education-ministers-say/
Education Minister Lazarus Dokora, said his ministry was stepping up the training of science and mathematics teachers to meet the new objective. He said that some 5 000 teachers should be studying those disciplines by the end of 2015. The government had also agreed to work on retention allowances for mathematics, science and technical vocational teachers. “You will realise that we have a problem of unemployment. The unemployment is actually emanating from us allowing more students to enrol in commercials and humanities because they do not have science and mathematics. The knowledge economy therefore, requires us to make sure that we create new industries and allow certain industries to die. We are actually going further to say, we are going to direct our universities to reduce the number of enrolment in terms of social sciences and humanities and increase our sciences, engineering and mathematics. It will take us a very long time because we have low uptake in our engineering and science courses in universities. As a Government, we are saying that these subjects that drive the economy and shape the future of a student must be compulsory. You must have science and mathematics. In 2014, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education launched the Teacher Capacity Development Programme, and I spoke about it here. It is underway and I am stocking it with an additional 2 500 teachers by the end of the year so that we have 5 000 teachers studying those disciplines. Under the new curriculum thrust, the Zimbabwean Cabinet is said to have agreed that Government must work at retention allowances for the mathematics, science and technical vocational teachers.” http://insiderzim.com/science-the-way-to-go-for-zimbabweeducation-ministers-say/.
3.1.4 School Enrolments 3.1.4.1 Gross Enrolment Enrolment in schools in Zimbabwe has grown from 1.6 million in 1980 to 4.1 million in 2015 (Dokora, 2015). Of the 92.4% literate citizens in Zimbabwe translates to 8 million citizens who are 15 years and above. These are the ones in secondary and tertiary education (Moyo, 2015). As evidenced from the sections that follow below, the enrolments and completion figures drop as the level of education goes higher (Table 4 and Figure 4). Those that attain primary education and secondary education are 81% and 7% attaining tertiary education. Only 6% (about 500 000) of the 7% attaining tertiary education, have undergraduate degrees while 2% have masters degrees. About 5000 (0.06%) have doctorates (Moyo, 2015). 17
The population with STEM education stands at 0.03% (Table 6 and Figure 5). This is inhibiting progress in the implementation of value addition, beneficiation, industrialization efforts and economic development of Zimbabwe without STEM (Moyo, 2015). 3.1.4.2
Net Enrolment Ratio (Secondary Education Exam Classes)
Table 4. Students Enrolment in Form 4 and 6, 2012 - 2014
Year 2012
Province Bulawayo Harare Manicaland Mashonaland Central Mashonaland East Mashonaland West Masvingo Matabeleland North Matabeleland South Midlands
2012 Total 2013
2013 Total
Bulawayo Harare Manicaland Mashonaland Central Mashonaland East Mashonaland West Masvingo Matabeleland North Matabeleland South Midlands
Form 4 M 5,020 9,514 16,119 8,036
T 10,916 19,175 29,611 14,432
Upper 6 M 1,187 2,233 2,940 1,053
F 5,896 9,661 13,492 6,396
F 1,283 1,969 2,000 642
T 2,470 4,202 4,940 1,695
13,261 11,848 13,117 4,017
11,091 9,518 12,432 4,687
24,352 21,366 25,549 8,704
1,849 1,678 2,877 497
1,451 1,130 2,044 446
3,300 2,808 4,921 943
4,616
5,407
10,023
812
782
1,594
12,343 97,891
11,752 24,095 2,231 90,332 188,223 17,357
1,707 13,454
3,938 30,811
5,177 10,118 16,764 8,403
5,752 10,056 14,056 6,747
10,929 20,174 30,820 15,150
1,188 2,573 3,013 1,115
1,463 2,283 2,171 744
2,651 4,856 5,184 1,859
13,707 12,481 13,907 4,468
11,812 10,276 12,575 5,103
25,519 22,757 26,482 9,571
1,944 1,942 2,940 536
1,497 1,211 2,195 502
3,441 3,153 5,135 1,038
4,648
5,333
9,981
772
941
1,713
1,908 14,915
4,349 33,379
12,742 12,135 24,877 2,441 102,415 93,845 196,260 18,464
18
2014
Bulawayo Harare Manicaland Mashonaland Central Mashonaland East Mashonaland West Masvingo Matabeleland North Matabeleland South Midlands
2014 Total
5,216 10,109 16,992 8,430
5,965 10,286 14,451 7,008
11,181 20,395 31,443 15,438
1,228 2,429 3,125 1,113
1,319 2,211 2,089 727
2,547 4,640 5,214 1,840
13,458 12,500 14,389 4,840
11,798 10,052 13,217 5,450
25,256 22,552 27,606 10,290
1,929 1,880 2,879 560
1,687 1,223 1,964 555
3,616 3,103 4,843 1,115
4,861
5,703
10,564
857
871
1,728
1,670 14,316
3,989 32,635
13,231 12,941 26,172 2,319 104,026 96,871 200,897 18,319
Source: BUSE Baseline Survey2015
19
3.1.4.3
Participation in science subjects
Figure 4: Total Candidature ‘A’ Level vs ‘O’ Level
Source: BUSE Baseline Survey2015 3.1.4.4 Schools Offering ‘A’ Levels by Province Table 5. Number of schools with A ‘Level by Province, 2014
PROVINCE Bulawayo Harare Manicaland Mashonaland Central Mashonaland East Mashonaland West Masvingo Matabeleland North Matabeleland South Midlands TOTAL
NUMBER OF SCHOOLS 40 54 139 46 73 84 147 42 63 98 786
Source: BUSE Baseline Survey2015
20
Table 6.
Ordinary Level Candidature and Science
Year
Total Candidature
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
91,445 133,573 136,262 268,854 285,260
Integrated Science
Subject Entries
Biology
71,112 119,540 130,520 193,968 202,922
14,016 16,903 18,284 21,685 20,922
Source: BUSE Baseline Survey2015
Figure 5: ‘A’ Level Candidates in STEM Subjects
Source: BUSE Baseline Survey2015
21
Chemistry 802 934 1,443 2,135 2,739
Physics 889 1,152 1,146 1,905 2,408
Computer Studies 1,088 1,190 1,295 1,342 1,533
3.1.4.5 Pass Rates Table 7. ‘O’ Level Pass Rates across Subjects
TRENDS IN % PASS RATES (2010-2013) 2011 Subject M
F
Chemistry
87.36
Human &Social Biology Additional Maths
2012
2013
VARIANCE
M
F
TOTL
M
F
75
TOT L 82.12
M
F
52.94
TOT L 68.58
52.96
TOT L 61.59
TOT L -3.99
88.7
79.7
84.5
72.9
67.76
39.61
17.6
30.28
35.0
16.4
27.6
36.01
26.43
33.23
29.23
25.40
27.06
-6.17
19.9
11.55
15.55
23.3
14.1
18.2
11.69
71.07
74.43
88.88
55.55
76.38
1.95
Mathematic s Integrated Science
17.78
10.67
14.32
22.3
14.3
18.3
20.95
13.7
17.27
25.45
17.78
21.62
4.35
22.82
13.36
15.55
36.2
26.0
31.2
32.57
21.39
26.97
31.01
20.65
25.97
-1
Physical Science
56.32
38.88
48.74
61.0
51.2
56.5
61.82
45.05
53.91
59.94
46.10
53.89
-0.02
Physics
87.37
73.1
81.34
54.80
66.0
77.5
73.52
57.81
68.58
94.30
81.94
88.92
20.3 4
% Change 5.82
18.57
2.62 25.19
3.71
0.04
Combined Science
-
-
-
-
Statistics
-
--
-
-
Environme ntal Manageme nt TOTAL
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
34.78
58.09
50.99
-
-
-
-
84.32
69.23
78.64
-
-
-
-
91.94
0
91.94
-
29.66
-
-
-
47.43
34.92
41.48
52.4
41.45
47.1
52.85
43.07
50.34
33.54
23.33
28.54
-21.8 43.31
Source: BUSE Baseline Survey2015
22
Figure 6: Trends in Pass Rates in Sciences
Source: BUSE Baseline Survey2015
Table 7 and Figure 6 above shows that: ● Sciences and Mathematics pass rates decreased in 2013 by 28.5% as compared to 2012 with Chemistry having dropped by 3.9% followed by Human and Social Biology which downgraded from 33% to 27% and Integrated Science also falling by 1%. Physical Science had an insignificant drop of 0.02%. ● Environmental management started well with 91.9% pass rate. It surpassed the 8 science subjects by 3% that were traditionally offered for the past 4 years. ● Girls did fairly well in one of the science subjects with a percentage pass rate of 81.9% in Physics (Table 7). ● Girls and boys candidature in science subjects marginally increased from 269 861 candidature in 2012 to 318 916 candidature in 2013.
23
Table 8. ‘A’ Level Candidature and Pass Rates in
SUBJECT
CANDIDATURE
Subject
M
F
TOT 2014
2013
Biology
1318
1047
2365
Chemistry
2316
1256
3572
Further Mathematics Physics
156
25
1499
Mathematics
5199
Applied ICT Sciences
Science Subjects (2013-2014)
% Change
CANDIDATES WHO PASSED PASS RATES M F TOT % 2013 2014 2014
% 2013
% Change
2833
-16.52
1054
881
1935
81.82
2144
75.68
3441
+3.81
1755
1019
2774
77.66
2802
81.43
181
418
-5.78
144
22
166
91.71
360
86.12
+6.14 -3.77 +5.59
362
1861
1773
+4.96
1401
361
1762
94.68
1536
86.63
2714
7913
7586
+4.31
3890
1888
5778
73.02
5455
71.91
6
0
6
0
0
6
0
6
100
0
0
104994
5404
15898
16051
.95
8250
4171
15421
78.31
14310
89.19
+7.99 +1.1 0 11.06
Source: BUSE Baseline Survey2015 Although the National pass rates in the Science subjects are very high what is worrisome is that the number of candidates who attempt these subjects at ‘A ‘level is very low. Table 8 above shows that over the years a very small percentage of candidates take up Science subjects at ‘A’ level and in 2014 these students constituted less than 10% of the ‘A’ Level candidates. The just released November 2015 ZIMSEC ‘O’ Level results can assist in getting a clear picture of what the performance in STEM was by school candidates (private candidates are excluded from the data). For the purpose of this study, we have used the “sciences” categorization for STEM that ZIMSEC itself uses, that is the subjects; Mathematics, Biology, Integrated Science, Physical Science, Physics, Chemistry, Human and Social Biology and Geography. Below is a table showing how many candidates sat for a subject, how many of them got a grade C or better and what percentage pass rate that represents therefore. STEM subjects are highlighted in orange. Table 9. November 2015
Subject Name Mathematics Integrated Science Biology Physical Science Computers Physics Chemistry
Ó’ Level pass rates Total Candidates 114236 77265 20634 7261 3978 5191 5175
C or Results 29891 49145 11054 5197 3194 4450 3500 24
Better % Pass Rate 26% 32% 54% 72% 80% 86% 58%
532 184 35% Human and Social Biology 130759 50885 39% Geography 164867 44829 27% English Language 118583 48081 41% Shona 114551 55579 49% History 93029 35981 39% Commerce 46861 27560 59% Agriculture 32295 18233 57% Principles of Accounts 31719 18644 59% Religious Studies 22970 13251 58% Ndebele 21676 11440 53% Fashion and Fabrics 12097 6077 56% Literature 9038 4899 54% Building 4710 3578 76% Food and Nutrition 3772 1695 45% Woodwork 396 362 91% Statistics 262 182 69% Music Source: http://www.techzim.co.zw/2016/02/zimbabwes-2015-olevel-stem-performance-how-itinforms-the-stem-strategy/
The data shows that, at 26%, Mathematics has one of the lowest pass rates in the country with only 29,891 passing it of the total 114,236 that sat for the exam. Only a few students took up some key STEM subjects such as Physics and Chemistry (Table 9). For example, only 5,191 of the more than 160,000 students that sat for the examinations in 2015 wrote the physics exam. The same trend is noticeable in general for all STEM subjects (except Mathematics and Geography). In general, more students sit for art and commercial subjects like History, Religious Studies, Literature, Accounts and Commerce than do STEM subjects. These huge disparities mean that even though the physics and chemistry pass rates seem higher – 86% and 58% respectively – than the English Language pass rate of just 27%, the comparison doesn’t tell the full story. It’s likely that the few people that take up Physics and Chemistry, are star students who are generally expected to pass the subjects. On the other hand, every student, whether they are good at it or not, are required to sit for the English exam. The STEM subject that had the most students sitting is Geography, with a total of 130,759 students and a pass rate of 39%. The Computer Science subject was only taken by 3,978 students the whole country.
25
3.1.4.6 Schools Infrastructure in Zimbabwe School infrastructure is regarded as one of the key components of a successful education system. Since the attainment of Zimbabwe independence in 1980, the country has successfully constructed and established 8,179 schools across the country and as a result in 2013, 3,994 773 students have enrolled in both primary and secondary schools. The distribution of schools in Zimbabwe is primarily based on the following policies. i) No primary school child shall walk more than 5 kilometres to a primary school. ii) No secondary school child shall walk more than 10kilometres to a secondary school. However, the major borne of contention is that, measuring the performance areas in planning and management of infrastructure in Zimbabwe is not clearly defined. Although there are some set of indicators and protocol to measure infrastructural effectiveness, there is no blanket standardisation of methodology of assessing the effectiveness of school infrastructural development. For the purpose of this document, the writer replicated the Integrated Building Performance Model (IBPM) to assess the state and effectiveness of school infrastructure. The IBPM was adopted by Thuba Makote Programme initiated in 2002 by South African government and it proposes that the assessment of school infrastructural performance is defined in terms of three focus areas specified below: · People: to ensure effectiveness, school infrastructure should ensure that its people, the primary facility users are comfortable, healthy and productive and their human rights are totally upheld. · Physical Infrastructure: should be well functioning and performing well, for example, secure buildings to ensure health and safety, low operating costs, spatial and resource efficient · Programme: available infrastructure should support the activities that they are required to accommodate and service. For instance school buildings should ensure that the current curriculum and preferred models of teaching and learning can be accommodated effectively. 3.1.4.7 The State of Zimbabwe Educational Infrastructure The major thrust of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 4) is to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. This SDG is achievable only if the drivers of quality education are put in place of which school infrastructural development is one of them. Considering that 70% of Zimbabwe’s population lives in the rural areas, one can justify that there is high demand for education. Despite the greater demand of education in the rural areas of Zimbabwe and improvement in net enrolment ratio, the issue of infrastructure is a hindrance to the progression of SDG 4 by 2030. More precisely education infrastructure in the rural Zimbabwe is in deplorable state especially the 700 satellite schools in former commercial farms. Inappropriate accommodation for teachers and classrooms in form of tobacco barns or chicken runs has epitomised the learning environments. A case study published by Newsday on 12 August 2015 shows that “Watershed primary school in Mangwe District, Matabeleland South recorded a low pass rate of 10% due to inadequate classroom facilities. At 26
this school, grades 1 to 4 conduct joint classes and grades 5 to 7 conducts joint classes also due to classroom shortages”. However the government of Zimbabwe has recently entered into a partnership agreement with the Chinese government to promote the construction of secondary and primary schools across the country. The country has a net schools deficiency of 2056 and in the urban areas the government resorted to hot sitting in many schools due to high demand, which compromises the quality of education service delivery. Apart from constructing schools, the existing primary and secondary schools need continuous monitoring and maintenance. In as much as the government has embarked on STEM to promote and encourage students to enrol on STEM subjects at Advanced level, the current state for infrastructure in schools should be assessed to ascertain the feasibility of the programme. Analysing data provided by Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education annual statistical report (2013), 90% of Zimbabwe’s school are located in the rural areas. Considering the general state of infrastructural development in the rural areas, it is crystal clear that majority of rural schools have hardly any or dilapidating facilities and some of them warranties demolition as they pose threat to teachers and students (Figure 7). For the effectiveness of quality education and success of STEM, schools should have well equipped classrooms, laboratories, libraries, staff rooms, and ablution and toilets facilities to spare children from adverse health and safety implications. According to a research carried by Zvavahera (2015), 90% of schools in Mazowe District do not offer science subjects due to unavailability of laboratories. At least half of the number of schools in Zimbabwe have blocks in bad condition and 37% and 51% of secondary and primary schools respectively have access to grid electricity which is the major source of energy in Zimbabwe as shown in Table 10 below;
Figure 7: School Infrastructure
27
Table 10. Number of Secondary Schools’ Main Source of Electricity, 2014 Province Gas Turbine Generator Grid None 4 44 1 Bulawayo 9 83 Harare 27 200 121 Manicaland 8 115 63 Mashonaland Central 19 198 77 Mashonaland East 7 183 121 Mashonaland West 26 174 109 Masvingo 8 83 54 Matabeleland North 6 97 33 Matabeleland South 1 18 163 105 Midlands Source: BUSE Baseline Survey2015
Other
15 6 11 16 13 3 5 14
Solar 3 1 28 17 26 21 16 26 16 29
3.1.4.8 Water and Sanitation During the commemoration of the 2015 World Toilet Day, Progressio, a UK based organisation cited that, Although the first flash toilet was invented about 500 years ago, 2.5 billion people in the world have limited or no access to clean and safe toilet. 900million of these people have no basic access to toilet facility and practice open defection in the bushes. Lack of sanitation facilities both in homes and schools claims at least 1000 children lives per day. A research carried by UNICEF (2014) published in the report “Snapshot of WASH in Eastern and Southern Africa”, 55% of the schools in the region have limited or no access to adequate sanitation. Only 13 % have access to hand washing facilities and 47% have no access to clean, safe and portable water. The regional problem of limited access to sanitation also affects Zimbabwe’s schools especially those in the rural areas which use blair toilets (Figure 8).
Figure 8: Blair toilets at a rural school
However major improvements in Pupil to Toilet Ratio in Primary schools improved from 35 to 25 in 2013. The ratio is likely to grow due to the dilapidating facilities and improvements in 28
enrolment. More toilet facilities are required in urban areas where there is high demand of education, for instance in Bulawayo and Harare; Male Pupil to Toilet Ratio for secondary schools is 36 as compared to Matabeleland South which is 14. Although 82% of Zimbabwe’s schools have safe drinking water and 72% access water within a radius of 500m, 76% have no access to treated water at all (Table 11).
2 6 69 18 79 32 20 8 4 40
4 7 6 10 14 3 3 8
5 4 8 5 1 2 7
Unprotected well
3 1 3 2 2 1 2 1
46 64 127 55 87 75 108 59 48 95
1
Stream/River
Protected Well
None
Dam
Borehole
Piped Water
1
22 69 241 141 206 238 225 106 111 203
Other
Bulawayo Harare Manicaland Mashonaland Central Mashonaland East Mashonaland West Masvingo Matabeleland North Matabeleland South Midlands
Spring
Abstraction
Table 11. Number of Secondary Schools by Type of Access to Water, 2014 Province
1 18 6 11 10 15 12 9 24
1 15 11 14 16 10 8 5 31
Source: BUSE Baseline Survey2015 3.1.4.9 Information, Communication and Technology Infrastructure Due to differing levels of development in Zimbabwe’s provinces, access to Information, Communication and Technology significantly varies from one province to the other (Figure 9).
29
Figure 9: Technological and Teledensity profile
of Zimbabwe
Source: Tatenda (2015) Rural schools lag behind urban schools in terms of ICT access and adaptation. Prime example given by Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education annual statistical report (2013) shows that Harare and Bulawayo, have an average student computer ratio of 58 and 75 respectively whereas other provinces average between 292 and 738 students per computer at primary level. The E-learning facilities are far reached by both primary and secondary students with only 4% and 11% having access to E-learning platform. However as countries focus more on adopting the ICT facilities in schools, there is also need to improve other infrastructural facilities. For example in 2009 Nigeria embarked on “per child laptop programme” but the government had to drop the ball and cancel the order because they did not have the desks to put them. Referring back to the Integrated Building Performance Model, even if half of Zimbabwe schools afford to improve access to technological infrastructure, there are inadequate facilities to house them so that they protect the activities they are required to protect and service. To sum up the state of school infrastructure in Zimbabwe is long overdue for improvement and should be aligned to the National Strategic Plan for Education, so that SDG 4 is accomplished by 2030. The low pass rates especially in the rural areas are directly linked to inadequacies in the infrastructural facilities which promote effective service delivery and pose health and safety threats to both teachers and students. Partnerships between the community, parents, stakeholders, NGOs and government can help to improve the state of infrastructure which is below standard of other African countries in the region such as South Africa. There is a wide gap between net student enrolment and service delivery to meet the needs of the enrolled students, because some schools offer classes under the trees or in tobacco bans which compromises the quality of education. Table 12 shows school distribution in Zimbabwe. In this information era, the world is dynamic and changing at a faster rate which needs access to internet to catch up, but the majority 30
of Zimbabwean schools have limited access to computers and internet facilities which compromises research and dynamism Table 12. Distribution of Secondary Schools by
Province, 2014
Province Bulawayo Harare Manicaland Mashonaland Central Mashonaland East Mashonaland West Masvingo Matabeleland North Matabeleland South Midlands Grand Total Source: BUSE Baseline Survey 2015
Secondary 52 94 391 209 331 348 338 174 157 330 2424
The number of schools have grown from 578 in 1980 to 10187 in 2015 (Dokora, 2015), of these 2424 are secondary schools with low laboratory density per province (Table 13). Table 13.
Number of Schools with Laboratories by Type and Province
Province Biology Bulawayo 21 Harare 37 Manicaland 31 Mashonaland Central 14 Mashonaland East 28 Mashonaland West 14 Masvingo 25 Matabeleland North 13 Matabeleland South 17 Midlands 32 Grand Total 232 Source: BUSE Baseline Survey2015
Chemistry 21 36 28 10 28 13 20 14 21 29 220
31
Integrated Science 37 59 141 61 121 95 145 51 91 133 934
Physics 20 35 27 10 24 14 21 13 17 33 214
3.1.4.10 Science Teacher Establishment Table 14. Establishment of science teachers by Province in 2013
Province Masvingo Mashonaland West Midlands Matabeleland North Matebeleland South Mashonaland East Mashonaland Central Harare Bulawayo Manicaland Total
Establishment 821 571
In Post 393 256
Vacant Posts 428 315
Vacant/ % 52.13 55.17
820 323
573 107
247 216
30.12 66.87
242
133
109
45.04
554 220
493 163
61 57
11.01 25.91
517 409 673 5150
476 378 655 3627
41 31 18 1523
7.93 7.58 2.67
Source: BUSE Baseline Survey2015
Table 15. Pre- Service Students Enrolment Schedule: State Universities 2015
Institution
Total Enrolment
UZ 12,148 NUST 8,412 BUSE 7,150 CUT 6,634 GZU 12,193 MSU 21,980 LSU 2,901 HIT 1,349 ZOU 12,375 TOTAL 85,142 Source: Moyo, 2015
Science and Technology
2,069 (17.03%) 4,123 (49.01%) 3,912 (54.71%) 2,809 (42.34%) 263 (2.15%) 3,328 (15.14%) 129 (4.45%) 1,140 (84.50%) 1,529 (12.36%) 17,773 (20.87)
32
Commerce and other Programmes 10,079 (82.97%) 4,289 (50.99%) 3,238 (45.29%) 3,825 (57.66%) 11,930 (97.84%) 18,652 (84.86%) 2,772 (95.55%) 209 (15.49%) 10,846 (87.64%) 67,369 (79.13)
Table 15 above shows that only 2 of the 9 state universities, BUSE and HIT, had enrolments of 50% and above in STEM courses. This portrays a very low level of STEM education in the country, and could be a policy pointer towards enhancement of STEM education and its outcomes in Zimbabwe.
Figure 10: Zimbabwe’s Knowledge Base
Source: Moyo, 2015
Summary of Primary Qualitative Data on the Status of STEM Teachers Qualitative data indicates that there is a shortage of STEM teachers. What is emerging also is that there is currently an artificial shortage of STEM Teachers as the majority has opted to look 33
for work in the diaspora. Secondly, the public service commission is reluctant to take in teachers who resigned. Thirdly, the disparity in development in certain areas countrywide is a push factor for would be STEM Teachers. Fourthly, there is a dearth of talents in the area of STEM Teachers as brilliant ‘A’ and ‘O’ level students opt for other professions other than teaching. For example, a BSc Student specializing in Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics would be a lower pointer at ‘A’ level. The high pointers would opt for professions such as medicine, engineering etc. The teaching profession has lost steam and hence no intelligent/talented student would opt to be a teacher. Students There is a general perception that students shun science and mathematics subject yet the real issue is that there is no infrastructure that supports sciences. To put this into context most laboratories in our schools are designed to cater for about 15 students, so given that at Form 2 we have a population of 200 keen on doing sciences at ‘O’ level, where will they get the laboratories. Thus our education system has a bottleneck which restricts the flow of talent. Teachers/ schools thus have the unenviable job of choosing which students do sciences, the rest are left to do integrated sciences which will not take them far in their lives. In a convoluted way these bottlenecks help reinforce the myth that sciences are tough. The learning environment Learning environment for sciences is not conducive because of the economic situation in the country. Secondly, there is a dearth of infrastructure that supports sciences and mathematics. There are few laboratories in schools that support the STEM Initiative. It should be laboratories first and then support for the students and not vice versa. The policy environment The current policy is an imposition and lacks broad based consultation. In other words, can we safely say lack of development in Zimbabwe is due to absence/or minimum application of STEM? The answer was given as no. Key informants argued that Government has been supporting STEM since independence which saw people being sent to Cuba, East German, England, and China etc. but to date the people are under employed. The majority are outside the country serving those countries at the expense of Zimbabwe. Every policy is supported by resources and hence in an environment where it’s difficult to raise funds infrastructure development the policy is bound to fail. Resources Key informants and secondary data presented above indicated that there is shortage of laboratories, equipment, chemicals, and other paraphernalia associated with STEM education in the country. There is no mention of resources supporting STEM that is for laboratories etc. There is support for the student and there is nothing for the teacher which can justify him/her handling a give class of students at ‘A’ level.
34
3.2 Stakeholder Submissions on Challenges faced in STEM Education Delivery 3.2.1 Teachers and Lecturers’ Perspectives on STEM ● Some students have negative attitude towards science education ● Inadequate teacher science teacher development in a context where the teacher is good at theory, but there are not enough facilities and opportunities for practicals ● There are too many activities in the schools, leaving little room and time for adequate learning, study and practicals ● Shortage of equipment, apparatus and chemicals ● Human capital in science - teacher skills contribute greatly to the learning outcome ● Student/teacher/community background and stereotype ● Teachers are disgruntled due to selective approach of STEM. Some teachers felt that STEM education seems to be favouring urban schools over rural schools that do not have adequate facilities and resources for science education e.g. laboratories and electricity. ● Financial resources because of the economic hardships. The fees cannot be raised to the desired level to adequately meet the learning needs 3.2. 2 Students’ Perspectives ● Career guidance not perfectly done ● Parental perception and cultural factors ● Negative attitude by some students towards learning sciences. Some of the students interviewed indicated that they do not opt for science subjects in the fear that that they might fail the subjects because of scarcity of resources for science education. ● Lack of resources and some cannot be shared ● Number of schools offering sciences is limited ● Universities do not accept students with lower points e.g. Medicine
Figure 11: Focus Group Discussions with students
35
3.2.3 Perspectives of Industry, Professional Bodies, Development Partners and MultiLateral Agencies ● “The major problem here in Zimbabwe is lack of focus. Today there is much noise about STEM but come two years down the line, this will be history. No one will be talking about this. Moreover, there are also issues related to a poor economy…..and poor planning”. ● Lack of clarity on the basics and rationale for STEM “This has never been made public and neither have we seen it in different official languages of Zimbabwe”. ● Not enough science teachers in Zimbabwe especially in Matabeleland ● Brain drain - Zimbabwe is now a training ground for science teachers, they have a ready market in South Africa. ● Poor teacher remuneration demotivates teachers and is also one of the push factors fuelling brain drain. According to Chimbodza (2012), ---- between 70% and 90% of all Zimbabwean university graduates had emigrated.-1500 of the country’s 3000 trained social workers emigrated to the UK during a period of 10 years. The United Kingdom Home Office Skills Audit pointed out that Zimbabweans who emigrated to the UK had a high technical skills base. a) 24.6% of Zimbabwe emigrants were trained doctors, nurses or pharmacists b) 23.1% were engineers or scientists c) 20% were teachers d) 16.9% were accountants.
3.3 Opportunities for the Enhancement of STEM Education 3.3.1 Students’ Perspectives
Each school stands to be supported and funded to have science classes Pure sciences could be introduced starting from Form 1 Make use of sponsorship packages offered by private companies and other organizations There is potential for increasing the number of exhibitions in science and technology Promotion of innovation at schools and tertiary institutions, especially innovations that provide practical solutions to problems in society e.g. energy. At one of the schools visited, there is a science club that makes sanitizer for use at the school.
36
Figure 12: Scientific innovation at school
Students could help with fixing broken things and some maintenance work at school Creation of a ‘nationalism feeling’ and give back mentality It could fuel growth of companies and future revival of industry Promotion of STEM education will boost stiff competition for enrolment, and students will work harder, score higher marks, produce better quality products and they become more valuable. Use of learning and research technology will compel everyone to be technologically compliant, e.g. broadband voucher system that is mandatory and open to everyone, even nonscience majors There is need to pursue alternative learning and educational content delivery methods e.g elearning can enable access to a larger number of students and encourage self paced learning
3.3.2 Teachers and Lecturers’ Perspectives
More students opting for STEM education will boost numbers and quality of science and technology in the country Availing of great opportunities to be innovators Opportunities for teacher upgrading – the teacher as a researcher and more practically oriented Syllabi review to make sciences more practical, with need for guided supervision Research will positively impact issues of national development Study science as split subjects early as well as splitting of science studies into science for general knowledge and science for future STEM careers 37
Changed perception of sciences will enable teachers, parents and society to encourage students to undertake STEM education and careers Opportunity for inter-teaching across subjects and to see relationship amongst them Undertaking massive awareness campaigns on STEM will change people’s knowledge and what they think about STEM Enhanced stakeholder interaction in science education Possibility for use of indigenous/local languages in science instruction Establishment of science museums, Olympiads and exhibitions at various levels and platforms
3.3.3 Perspectives of Industry, Professional Bodies, Development Partners and MultiLateral Agencies
There is more appetite for STEM subjects. Availability of problem solvers STEM education will put pressure for economic improvement, otherwise we create a frustrated pool of scientists Reviewing and customising the STEM curriculum according to the needs of the local industry
4.0 Discussion of Findings Zimbabwe’s overall Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) regulatory framework is outlined in a number of key policy documents. This STI regulatory framework, if implemented with the involvement of a multiple stakeholders has the potential to improve STEM education in Zimbabwe and its outcomes. The establishment of the Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) as one of the country’s top institutions for the training of technologists and other scientists was one of the key results of this policy. Within this context, SIRDC has been playing a critical role in science, technology and innovation in the country. The Scientific and Industrial Research and Development Centre (SIRDC) was established by the Government of Zimbabwe in February 1993 under the provisions of the Research Act of 1986. SIRDC’s mandate is to carry out strategic research and development (R & D) for the benefit of the manufacturing, service, agricultural and mining sectors of Zimbabwe as well as to commercialise R & D outputs. Comprising of 12 research institutes, its mission is to provide Zimbabwe and the region with technological solutions for sustainable development. Its vision is to become the leading centre for the development of Zimbabwe and the region through reduction to practice of technologically developed products and processes.
38
It has already been noted that in 2014, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education launched the Teacher Capacity Development Programme meant to train about 5000 teachers in STEM by the end of 2015. In addition, there were indications that government would work on putting in place retention allowances for mathematics, science and technical vocational teachers in order to arrest the massive brain drain that happens in this skills group, thereby depriving the country of their much needed skills. However, these retention allowances are said to have been removed, as government is reportedly trying to cut public expenditure in a number of areas. This provides a setback to the initiative to retain the teachers, thereby negatively affecting STEM education. This policy inconsistency was also highlighted by key informants in their analysis of the policy environment within which STEM is being unveiled. As has been highlighted from the statistics presented in Figure 5 by Moyo (2015) above, the population with science and engineering education in the country stands at 0.03%. This is inhibiting progress in the implementation of value addition, beneficiation, industrialization efforts and economic development of Zimbabwe. This statistic, among others, makes for a strong case for investment in science education in Zimbabwe. The ZIMASSET route that the country has charted makes it imperative that the future of the country be driven by locally engineered and locally driven pathways out of the country’s problems and towards new opportunities arising out of innovations and inventions. Science produces and commercials market the products. However, this emphasis on STEM should not kill education in the humanities, arts and commerce. Development is an all-inclusive strategy; the STEM graduate needs a humanity course for ethics and professionalism. STEM and humanities, arts and other disciplines are complimentary, therefore the promotion of STEM should guard against creation of science elitism. This sentiment was highlighted by some key informants in the field survey. That a very small percentage of ‘O’ Level candidates enrol for ‘A’ Level is established, though the figure is rising. However, the proportion of those who study science subjects still remains low. The ZIMSEC November 2015 exam results presented earlier on provide an informed look at where more effort is needed in ensuring that Zimbabwe produces more STEM graduates at college level. The data shows that some intervention to increase the interest or just the number of people that take up STEM careers also needs to happen early in secondary education, around Form 3 at worse and Form 1 at best. Essentially, while providing free education to STEM students at ‘A’ Level is a noble thing to do, it’s important to note that by that time, a lot of students will have lost interest in STEM, believe it’s too difficult and just believe they are better off doing arts, humanities and commercial subjects. Interventions at the ‘A’ Level phase, or tertiary education stage, are already targeting less than 10% of the students that wrote the ‘O’ level exams. In 2014 specifically, these students constituted less than 10% of the ‘A’ Level candidates. Furthermore the sustainability and impact of individual based scholarships is highly debatable compared to infrastructure based interventions. The statistic for 2015 is yet to be established. The 2015 pre-service student enrolment schedule at state universities where only 2 39
out of 9 state universities have more than 50% students enrolled in the sciences has already been noted. The average is 20.87% across all state universities. Hopefully however, making STEM education free at ‘A’ Level, may have the effect of encouraging more students to take up STEM seriously early in secondary school, with the hope benefiting from free education in later years. Secondary and qualitative primary data indicated that politics and power struggles seem to be disrupting the STEM initiative. Instead of politicians debating about whose mandate to promoting STEM education, or using it to frustrate each other, they should be looking at such data and collaboratively planning across ministries to prepare Zimbabwe for the global knowledge economy where we are already late to participating in. The country has a net schools deficiency of 2056 and in the urban areas the government resorted to hot sitting in many schools due to high demand, which compromises the quality of education service delivery. These issues were also raised by key informants during interviews. The learning environment, particularly for STEM education, largely characterised by dilapidated classrooms, poorly equipped laboratories, staff rooms, libraries, as well as hot sitting, has already been highlighted. Low levels of access to grid electricity for both secondary and primary schools have been noted, and this has implications for students and teachers’ access to modern learning technologies that are computer based. Further, it has already been noted that there is very high average studentcomputer ratios and low percentages of both primary and secondary school students with access to e-learning platform. This raises implications to do with the adequacy of preparing the STEM product for the 21st Century life in a knowledge economy dominated by ICT. Therefore promotion of STEM education demands more than just fees payment, but taking into account all the other paraphernalia that go with this kind of educational approach. Water, sanitation and toilet facilities at current student enrolment levels have already been highlighted as not being enough and of poor quality. When STEM is promoting the enrolment of more students in the sciences, this has implications on these challenges. Qualitative data from key informants has already highlighted the fact that current industry status in Zimbabwe is not encouraging uptake of sciences. This is largely because most industries are closed and there are no job openings for STEM graduates. This again points towards the imperative need for multi-stakeholder involvement in the formulation and implementation of the STEM initiative. 5.0 Conclusion and Recommendations The key findings from both desk research and field work indicate a general support for the STEM initiative from across the broad spectrum of stakeholders, albeit with a number of suggestions to make it more relevant, efficient, effective, manageable and sustainable. Based on 40
the above data presentation and discussion of findings, the following recommendations are preferred:
41
Recommendation
Responsible Entity Students
/Parents/ Guardians
There is need to put in place mechanisms to mitigate social discrimination amongst students. In the same vein there should be a mechanism to support education in other subjects, since subjects have a correlation. There is need to mandate for lower student teacher ratios that do not result in teachers being overburdened with the demands of STEM education, e.g. field work, demonstrations, practicals, etc. There is need to organise more field trips and trips to the shop floor, as well as career guidance for students, starting right from primary school, through to tertiary level. There is also need to explore possibilities for introduction of science parks to enable STEM students interact with a more real environment. There is need to introduce specialisation earlier in life, particularly starting from ECD level. Pure sciences could start at Form 1. In addition, there must be early talent identification that should run concurrently with interventions to support slow starters so that they get an opportunity to use their skills to contribute towards national development. The STEM initiative should focus on a complete package that includes investment in infrastructure 42
Teachers /Schools
Policy Makers
Industry, professional bodies, development agencies, NGOs, etc
instead of just focusing on payment of school fees. It should also consider full scholarships through to university. There is need to use different types of media to disseminate information on STEM. Students prefer pamphlets so that they learn about STEM. There is also scope for the use of social media like whatsapp. There is need to introduce and/or step up inter-school collaboration in science education There is need to have computer literacy and/or certification compulsory for every learning instructor in formal education systems, from ECD to tertiary level so that they are effective instructors who can guide learners in a context of high ICT use (21st Century learner). There is need to consider establishment of STEM centres at relevant levels to assist with easier accessing of information and sharing of STEM experiences. These centres could be at district or provincial levels. In the same vein, there is need to arrange for linking up high schools and universities, e.g. in ways similar to twinning of cities. There is need to change assessment of STEM to be more practical for developing scientific literacy. Project based learning encourages creativity and innovation. There is need to undertake wide stakeholder consultations, advocacy and collaboration on STEM issues in a bottom up approach that will involve the student, the parent/guardian, teacher, government, industry and other agencies involved in human development on an ongoing basis. 43
There is need for further studies on uptake and status of technical and vocational education in Zimbabwe. There is need to conduct tracer studies on the career pathways and future of STEM graduates There is need to conduct gender profiling studies on STEM
44
6.0 References BUSE Baseline Survey (2015) Baseline Survey and Current Situation Analysis in Science Uptake in Zimbabwe Secondary Schools, 2010-2014, unpublished research report, Bindura University of Science Education. Chapman, D.W., and A.E., Austin. (2002) The Changing Context of Higher and Tertiary Education in the Developing World and Institutional Consequencies Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. Chimbodza, A., (2012) From Brain Drain to Brain Gain: Addressing Human Capital Needs for Post Crisis Zimbabwe Capacity Building. Pennsylvania University Colman, D. and Young, T. (1989). Principles of Agricultural Economics. Cambridge Dokora, L. (2015) ZANU PF National People’s Conference, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.
Dokora, L. D. (2015). Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Report to the 15th ZANU PF Conference. Harare: ZANU PF. Government of Zimbabwe (2012) Second Science, Technology and Innovation Policy of Zimbabwe, March, Harare. Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Annual Statistical Report (2013), Government Publications, Harare. Moyo, J. (2015) ZANU PF National People’s Conference, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.
Moyo, J. N. (2015). Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education Science and Technology Development report to the 15th ZANU PF Conference 2015. Harare: ZANU PF. Tatenda (2015) Telecommunication Status of Zimbabwe, Harare Torjman, S. (2005). What is Policy? Caledon Institute of Social Policy, Ottawa, Ontario. United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF (2014a). UNICEF to distribute science kits to all secondary schools in Zimbabwe.http://www.unicef.org/zimbabwe/media_14014.html [Accessed 24/12/2014] University Press, Cambridge. UNDP Development Report (2015). Briefing Note for Countries on the 2015 Human Development Report, Harare. 45
Zvavahera, P. (2015) Human capital problems in Zimbabwean rural schools: a case study of Mazowe District, Journal of Case Studies in Education http://www.techzim.co.zw/2016/02/zimbabwes-2015-olevel-stem-performance-how-it-informsthe-stem-strategy/ Accessed on 10 February 2016 Source of document: http://insiderzim.com/science-the-way-to-go-for-zimbabwe-education-ministers-say/ Accessed on the internet on 10 February 2016. http://drpfconsults.com/understanding-the-basics-of-stem-education/ Accessed on 10 February 2016
http://data.worldbank.org/country/Zimbabwe
46
List of Appendices Appendix A: Institutions visited During STEM
No 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Diagnostic Study
Institutions Visited During STEM Diagnostic Study Institution School Name Type Province People Interviewed Glen View High 1 High School Harare Students Mufakose High 1 High School Harare Students Students, HOD Sciences & Vainona High School High School Harare School Head Harare Institute of Technology High School Harare Registrar Zimbabwe Institute of Professional Engineers Body Harare President Mashonaland Mutumba High School High School Central Students & HOD Sciences Mashonaland Bradley High School High School Central Students & HOD Sciences Mashonaland Chipindura High School High School Central Students & HOD Sciences Mashonaland Chipadze High School High School Central Students & HOD Sciences Bindura Univerity of Science Mashonaland Eduation University Central Student and lecturers Founders High School High School Bulawayo Students Mpopoma High School High School Bulawayo Students National University of Science & Technology University Bulawayo Computer Science Lecturer Mashonalwan Students, HOD Sciences & Chinhoyi High 1 High School d West School Head Mashonalwan Students, HOD Sciences & Chinhoyi High 2 High School d West School Head Chinhoyi University of Mashonalwan Technology High School d West Students in Engineering Mashonalwan Rusununguko High School High School d East Students & School Head Mashonalwan Monte Cassino High School High School d East Students & HOD Sciences
47
Appendix B: Programme for the High level STEM
Education Dialogue for Stakeholders
UNESCO SCIENCE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA
Public Lecture in honour of ADG Natural Sciences, UNESCO And High-level STEM Education Dialogue for Stakeholders (HLD-SEDS) 2016 Date: 1 March 2016 TIME 08:00-09:00 09:00-09:05 09:05–09:10 09:10-09:30
0930-0945
0945-1015
Venue: FSE Complex Multi-Purpose Hall BUSE Programme ACTIVITY/Presentati Chairperson Speaker on BUSE/HLF/MHTESTD Arrival and Registration National Anthem Ambassador Rev Mlambo Prayer Mapuranga. Permanent Introduction of Secretary Dignitaries (MHTESTD) Welcome Remarks & Prof. E. Mwenje, Presentation of Dialogue Vice Chancellor, objectives Bindura University of Science Education Welcome by UNESCO Short ’ interventions by Namibia Invited Ministers of Prof J. Moyo Mozambique Science and Technology Minister of South Africa HTESTD SADC Secretariat NEPAD Introduction of Keynote Prof Hubert Gijzen, Speaker UNESCO Regional Director for Southern Africa Public Lecture: Science Prof. Flavia. for Sustainable Schlegel UNESCO Development in Africa Assistant Director General –Natural 48
1015-1025
Question Time
1025-1030
Launch of the UNESCO Global Science Report 2015 Book
1030-1035
Vote of thanks and Presentation Tea Break and Group Photo State of STEM Prof. E. Mwenje Education in Africa Round table Dialogue Mrs. Rungano. Karimanzira, Director, MHTESTD
1035-1100 1100-1120 1120-1250
1250-1300
Closing remarks
1300-1400
Lunch and departure
Minister of HTESTD Prof. Hubert Gijzen, UNESCO Regional Director for Southern Africa
Sponsors: Higher Life Foundation BUSE UNESCO Government of Zimbabwe
49
Sciences Discussants All Prof Flavia Schlegel UNESCO Assistant Director General –Natural Sciences HLF/BUSE
HLF MHTESTD, MOPSE, UNESCO, BUSE VC, CUT VC, NUST VC, HLF, CZI, British Council, World Bank, AFDB Dr. Peggy OtiBoateng
Appendix C. Interview/desk study checklist
‘A DIAGNOSTIC STUDY OF THE STATUS OF STEM IN ZIMBABWE’ Situational Assessment Tool Category of Respondents Page A. Question Schedule for: 2 Policy Makers (e.g CDU, MoPSE, MOHTE, Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Education, etc.) B Question Schedule for: 3 STEM teachers in Secondary Schools and STEM lecturers in Vocational and Tertiary Institutions C. Question Schedule for: 5 STEM students in Secondary, Vocational and Tertiary Institutions D. Question Schedule for: 7 Industry, Professional Bodies, Development Partners and Multi-Lateral Agencies
A. Question Schedule for Policy Makers (e.g. CDU, MoPSE, MOHTE, Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Education) Objective 1: describe the status of STEM education in Zimbabwe and the context in which it is delivered
1. Can you please share with us the concept STEM education and its components? 1. How did STEM education evolve in Zimbabwe? Could there be some driving forces? 1. What is the status of STEM education in Zimbabwe in terms of: 1. Teachers 2. Students 50
3. The learning environment 4. The policy environment 5. Resources (physical/material, financial, human capital) 1. How does STEM education compare with education in the arts, humanities and other disciplines? What are the linkages, if any, between STEM education and the other disciplines? 1. What has been/is your Department/Ministry’s involvement in STEM education? 1. To what extent do you think you own interventions in STEM education, and which ones in particular? 1. Are there any Monitoring and Evaluation Mechanisms in place for STEM education? What are they? Objective 2: identify the challenges faced in the delivery of STEM education 1. Comment on the cooperation and involvement of the public and other partners in education, development and industry in STEM education? 1. What factors are hindering the smooth running of STEM education in Zimbabwe?
1. Is your strategy and vision for STEM education being understood by the public and other partners in education, development and industry? 1. What would you like to see happening in a successful STEM education strategy/approach?
Objective 3: identify opportunities for the enhancement of STEM education 1. What are the major changes in education and the development scenario of Zimbabwe do you anticipate as attributable the STEM package of interventions? 1. Are there any changes in your perception of education and development after being involved in the formulation or origination of STEM education interventions?
51
1. What do you envisage as the future of Zimbabwean students who undertake STEM education? Objective 4: formulate recommendations on short, medium and long-term strategies that can form the basis for evidence-based policy interventions and programmes to improve the delivery of STEM education in Zimbabwe. 1. What is your opinion on the way the STEM education interventions/strategy are (going to be) implemented? How could they be improved? 1. Given the chance to formulate STEM policy with all the required resources and support being available, what would you have done differently? 1. What are the key lessons you have learned/are learning from the strategic, organisational and operational aspects of STEM education? 1. What suggestions would you make to improve future programming on STEM education in Zimbabwe?
B: Question Schedule for STEM teachers in Secondary Schools and STEM lecturers in Vocational and Tertiary Institutions Objective 1: describe the status of STEM education in Zimbabwe and the context in which it is delivered 1. What do you understand by STEM education and what are its components? 1. What is the status of STEM education in Zimbabwe in terms of: 1. Teachers 2. Students 3. The learning environment 4. The policy environment 5. Resources (physical/material, financial, human capital)
52
1. How does STEM education compare with education in the arts, humanities and other disciplines? What are the linkages, if any, between STEM education and the other disciplines? 1. What has been your school/college/university’s involvement in STEM education? 1. To what extent do you think you as a teacher/lecturer own interventions in STEM education, and which ones in particular? Objective 2: identify the challenges faced in the delivery of STEM education 1. What factors are hindering the smooth running of STEM education at your school/college/university? 1. To what extent is STEM education being understood and embraced by students and their parents/guardians/sponsors? 1. What would you like to see happening in school/college/university in a successful STEM education strategy/approach? Objective 3: identify opportunities for the enhancement of STEM education 1. What are the major changes in education and the development scenario of your school/college/university and Zimbabwe do you anticipate as attributable the STEM package of interventions? 1. Are there any changes in your perception of education and development after being involved in the formulation or origination of STEM education interventions? (if applicable) 1. Are there any changes in your perception of education and development after being exposed to awareness campaigns/adverts on STEM education? 1. Are there any changes in your perception of your required duties, teaching, research and extension approaches and qualifications/skills in line with STEM education? 1. What do you envisage as the future of students at your school/college/university who undertake STEM education?
53
Objective 4: formulate recommendations on short, medium and long-term strategies that can form the basis for evidence-based policy interventions and programmes to improve the delivery of STEM education in Zimbabwe. 1. What is your opinion on the way the STEM education interventions/strategy are (going to be) implemented? How could they be improved? 1. Given the chance to formulate STEM policy with all the required resources and support being available, what would you have done differently? 1. What are the key lessons you have learned/are learning from aspects of STEM education? 1. What suggestions would you make to improve future programming on STEM education in Zimbabwe?
C: Question Schedule for STEM students in Secondary, Vocational and Tertiary Institutions Objective 1: describe the status of STEM education in Zimbabwe and the context in which it is delivered 1. What do you understand by STEM education and what are its components? 1. What is the status of STEM education in Zimbabwe in terms of: 1. Teachers 2. Students 3. The learning environment 4. The policy environment 5. Resources (physical/material, financial, human capital) 1. How does STEM education compare with education in the arts, humanities and other disciplines? What are the linkages, if any, between STEM education and the other disciplines? 1. What has been your school/college/university’s involvement in STEM education? 1. To what extent do you think you as a student own interventions in STEM education, and which ones in particular? 54
Objective 2: identify the challenges faced in the delivery of STEM education 1. What factors are hindering the smooth running of STEM education at your school/college/university? 1. To what extent is STEM education being understood and embraced by students and their parents/guardians? 1. What would you like to see happening in school/college/university in a successful STEM education strategy/approach? 9. What is your opinion on the way interventions in STEM education are being run? How can they be improved?
Objective 3: identify opportunities for the enhancement of STEM education 1. What are the major changes in education and the development scenario of your school/college/university and Zimbabwe do you anticipate as attributable the STEM package of interventions? 1. Are there any changes in your perception of education and development after being exposed to awareness campaigns or advertisements on STEM education? 1. Are there any changes in your perception of your required duties, learning approaches and qualifications/skills in line with STEM education? 1. What do you envisage as the future of students at your school /college/university who undergo STEM education? Objective 4: formulate recommendations on short, medium and long-term strategies that can form the basis for evidence-based policy interventions and programmes to improve the delivery of STEM education in Zimbabwe. 1. What is your opinion on the way the STEM education is (going to be) implemented? How could it improved? 1. Given the chance to formulate STEM policy, what would you have done differently?
55
1. What are the key lessons you have learned/are learning from STEM education? 1. What suggestions would you make to improve future programming on STEM education in Zimbabwe?
D: Question Schedule for Industry, Professional Bodies, Development Partners and MultiLateral Agencies Objective 1: describe the status of STEM education in Zimbabwe and the context in which it is delivered
1. What is STEM education and what are its components? 1. What are the driving forces of STEM education in Zimbabwe? 1. What is the status of STEM education in Zimbabwe in terms of: 1. Teachers 2. Students 3. The learning environment 4. The policy environment 5. Resources (physical/material, financial, human capital) 1. How does STEM education compare with education in the arts, humanities and other disciplines? What are the linkages, if any, between STEM education and the other disciplines? 1. What is your comment on the quality and quantity of STEM graduates from the country’s schools/colleges/universities? 1. What has been/is your organisation’s involvement in STEM education? 1. To what extent do you think you own interventions in STEM education, and which ones in particular? Objective 2: identify the challenges faced in the delivery of STEM education 1. Comment on the cooperation and involvement of the public and other partners in education, development and industry in STEM education? 56
1. What factors are hindering the smooth running of STEM education in Zimbabwe? 1. Do you understand the STEM education strategy and vision being promoted by Government? 1. What would you like to see happening in a successful STEM education strategy/approach?
Objective 3: identify opportunities for the enhancement of STEM education 1. What are the major changes in education and the development scenario of Zimbabwe do you anticipate as attributable the STEM package of interventions? 1. Are there any changes in your perception of education and development after being involved in the formulation or origination of STEM education interventions? (if applicable) 1. Are there any changes in your perception of education and development after being exposed to awareness campaigns or advertisements on STEM education? 1. What do you envisage as the future of Zimbabwean students who undertake STEM education? Objective 4: formulate recommendations on short, medium and long-term strategies that can form the basis for evidence-based policy interventions and programmes to improve the delivery of STEM education in Zimbabwe. 1. What is your opinion on the way the STEM education interventions/strategy are (going to be) implemented? How could they be improved? 1. Given the chance to formulate STEM policy with all the required resources and support being available, what would you have done differently? 1. What are the key lessons you have learned/are learning from the strategic, organisational and operational aspects of STEM education? 1. What suggestions would you make to improve future programming on STEM education in Zimbabwe? 57
58
Appendix D: Research Work Plan
Research Work Plan - A Diagnostic Study on the Status of STEM in Zimbabwe Objective Describe the status of STEM education in Zimbabwe and the context in which it is delivered
Activities Desktop Study I. Socio-Economic Indicators II. Political & Social Overview III. Enrolment Data (O, A Level & Tertiary) IV. Pass Rate
V. School Infrastructure VI. Teacher Establishment VII. Teacher Qualification VIII. Teacher Turnover IX. Policy Position X. Fiscus Resource Allocation
Place
Due Date
Office Office
Office MoPSE & ZIMCHE ZIMSEC & ZIMCHE & British Council Office & MoPSE & ZIMCHE Office & PSC, MoPSE Office & PSC, MoPSE Office & PSC, MoPSE MoPSE & MoHTE MoF & Parly Portfolio Comm on Education 59
10Feb 10Feb 11Feb 11Feb 11Feb 11Feb 11Feb 11Feb 11Feb 15Feb
Desk Obrian
Responsibility Field
Obrian
Bhukuvhani
Bhukuvhani
Bhukuvhani
Bhukuvhani
Tolbert
Tolbert
Chawatama
Chawatama
Chawatama
Chawatama
Chawatama
Chawatama
Bongo & Gadzirai
Bongo & Gadzirai
Chawatama & Tolbert
Chawatama & Tolbert
Identify the challenges faced in the delivery of STEM education
XI. Development Partner Resource Allocation XII. School Development Levy/ Per Capita Grant XIII. School Fees Structure
NANGO & NGO Forum MoPSE Directors
Key Informant Interviews
MoPSE Directors (Hre, Mash East Central & West, Byo & Msv)
I. Internal Key Policy makers
Primary STEM Teachers
Stem Students
Pedagogical
MoPSE Directors
MoPSE & MoHTE, M o Psychomotor Selected Schools Hre, Mash East, Central & West, Byo & Msv Selected Schools & Tertiary Insts Hre, Mash East, Central & West, Byo & Msv CDU
60
Chawatama & Tolbert Chawatama & Tolbert Chawatama & Tolbert Bhukuvhani
Chawatama & Tolbert Chawatama & Tolbert Chawatama & Tolbert Bhukuvhani
19Feb
Team Two
Team Two
18Feb
Team One
Team One
18Feb
Team One
Team One
18Feb
Team Two
Team Two
12Feb 15Feb 15Feb 15Feb
Resources
Socio Cultural mind-set Political
Economic
CDU, MoF, MoPSE & MoHTE, MoPsychomotor SDC & School Heads MoPSE & Parly Portfolio Comm on Education Office
Tertiary Institutions Deans & Lecturers Secondary Industry IPMZ, CZI, Chamber of Mines Professional Institute of Bodies Engineers Tertiary Industry World Vision, Camfed, Care Professional Institute of Bodies Engineers Identify opportunities for the enhancement of STEM education
I. Internal Key Policy makers
MoPSE & MoHTE, M o Psychomotor 61
18Feb
Team Two
Team Two
17Feb 18Feb
Team One
Team One
Team Two
Team Two
12Feb 18Feb
Team Two
Team Two
19Feb 19Feb
Team One
Team One
Team Two
Team Two
19Feb 19Feb
Team One
Team One
Team Two
Team Two
19Feb
Team Two
Team Two
Team One
Primary STEM Teachers
Stem Students
Pedagogical Resources
Socio Cultural mind-set Political
Economic
Selected Schools Hre, Mash East, Central & West, Byo & Msv Selected Schools & Tertiary Insts Hre, Mash East, Central & West, Byo & Msv CDU CDU, MoF, MoPSE & MoHTE, MoPsychomotor SDC & School Heads MoPSE & Parly Portfolio Comm on Education Office
Tertiary Institutions Deans & Lecturers Secondary Industry Professional
18Feb
Team One
Team One
18Feb
Team One
Team One
18Feb 18Feb
Team Two
Team Two
Team Two
Team Two
17Feb 18Feb
Team One
Team One
Team Two
Team Two
12Feb 18Feb
Team Two
Team Two
19Feb
Team One
Team One
19-
Team Two
Team Two
Team One
IPMZ, CZI, Chamber of Mines Institute of 62
Bodies Tertiary Development Partners Multi-lateral agencies Formulate Recommendations
Engineers World Vision, Camfed, Care UNICEF, UNESCO MoPSE & MoHTE, M o Psychomotor Selected Schools Hre, Mash East, Central & West, Byo & Msv Selected Schools & Tertiary Insts Hre, Mash East, Central & West, Byo & Msv CDU
I. Internal Key Policy makers
Primary STEM Teachers
Stem Students
Pedagogical
Resources
CDU, MoF, MoPSE & MoHTE, MoPsychomotor SDC & School Heads
Socio Cultural mind-set
63
Feb
19Feb 19Feb
Team One
Team One
Team Two
Team Two
19Feb
Team Two
Team Two
18Feb
Team One
Team One
18Feb
Team One
Team One
18Feb 18Feb
Team Two
Team Two
Team Two
Team Two
17Feb
Team One
Team One
Political Economic
MoPSE & Parly Portfolio Comm on Education Office
18Feb
Team Two
Team Two
12Feb 18Feb
Team Two
Team Two
IPMZ, CZI, Chamber of Mines Institute of Engineers
19Feb
Team One
Team One
19Feb
Team Two
Team Two
World Vision, Camfed, Care
19Feb 19Feb
Team One
Team One
Team Two
Team Two
Tertiary Institutions Deans & Lecturers Secondary Industry Professional Bodies Tertiary Development Partners Multi-lateral agencies Development of Tools Liaison and Protocol Data Capture & Analysis Preparation of the Report Publication of Results
Team One
UNICEF, UNESCO
Questionnaire for Key Informants Liaison and Protocol
Office & Google Platform
8-Feb
Chawatama
Chawatama
Office
9-Feb
Chawatama
Chawatama
Data Capture & Analysis
Office & Google Platform
All Field Teams
All Field Teams
Preparation of the Report
Office & Google Platform
Gadzirai, Bongo & Tolbert
Gadzirai, Bongo & Tolbert
Publication of Results
Office & Supervisory Committee
Gadzirai & Bongo
Gadzirai & Bongo
64
20Feb 24Feb 26Feb
Policy Brief
Policy Brief
Office & Supervisory Committee
26Feb
Chawatama
Chawatama
Appendix E: Observation guide
● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
School infrastructure Management and administrative structures STEM programme design Leadership and gender roles in STEM Conflict indicators in curriculum choices Performance levels and trend in STEM School enrolment Records on capacity of the education system at national, provincial, district and school levels to support STEM Examine how financial resources utilised Identify explicit innovations on the ground from the implementation of STEM Note the effect of contextual (micro environment) and organisational factors on implementation progress of STEM Indicators showing whether the various components STEM have been implemented in a cost efficient way to deliver value for money.
65