Ysz

University of Zimbabwe

Faculty of Education

Department of Educational Administration

Research Topic:

The opportunities and challenges for integrating indigenous knowledge into the formal
education curricular: A study of five schools in High Glen district of Harare metropolitan
province

By
DHEWA BARBARA
REG Number: R2111038

A research project submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the

Master of Educational Management, Leadership, Gender and Inclusivity

Supervisor: Dr LEWIS MADHLANGOBE

 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

1.1 Introduction

The Zimbabwean nation is retracing their steps to its indigenous knowledge systems as

guided by their diversity in culture, religion, language, food-laws and policies. This study

critically investigated the opportunities and challenges of integrating indigenous knowledge

systems (IKs) into the formal educational system in Zimbabwe. Chapter 1 introduces the

entire study by outlining the background of the study, the statement of the problems, which

the study seeks to address, the purpose of the study research questions, the significance and

assumptions of the study. The chapter concludes by discussing limitations and ethical

considerations of the study. The dissertation is going to incorporate Education 5.0

philosophy, which guides the researchers’ thinking processes including the through ways

ofthrough understanding how innovation and research skills that educationist may use to

improve food preparation, quality and the projects that will be carried out in schools.

1.2 Background to the Study

Across Africa, it is widely accepted and shared that the introduction of missionary activities

and Western education among indigenous African people degraded the respect as well as the

value of Iindigenous Knowledge S systems (IKs), indigenous education and cultural beliefs

(Nate, 2016). For example, in a study of the effects of colonisation Eyong, et,. al (2014)

revealed that from the colonialism days to date, indigenous knowledge systems suffered an

extended period of misrepresentation by the western colonisers, researchers and religious

activities. Mapara, (2009) highlighted that in Fanon’s book African Skin, White Masks

colonialism promoted a superiority complex over the colonised knowledge systems, cultural

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values and beliefs. However, the superiority of Western Education systems did not end after

African countries attained their political independence. Instead, the Indigenous knowledge

and beliefs continued to be looked down upon and to some extent, gradually eroded. In the

formal education systems in schools, universities and colleges, the importance of Indigenous

Knowledge systems (IKs) continued to receive neglect in favour of Western modernised

knowledge systems. The normal acceptable development of education in the country would

have been to ensure that athe parallel knowledge systems development of the education

systems occurs in the contexts of the Indigenous Knowledge systems.

Because of the dominance of and superiority of the white ways of thinking and doing things,

the Westernised education systems in both formal and informal education systems, local

indigenous people in Africa and Zimbabwe in particular end up believing that their

indigenous knowledge, practices and beliefs are retrogressive and completely wicked.

(Ntaragwi, 2015). On the contrary, the whites promoted Western Knowledge systems as the

progressive and objective ways of knowing (Herbert, 2017).

In this paper, I define Indigenous knowledge systems as a body of knowledge, or bodies of

knowledge of local people in a particular area that the people have may used to inform their

survival for a very long periods (Sigauke, 2016). In relation to the foregoing, Altieri (2015)

regards IKs as local knowledge, which is unique to a specific society or culture and that

knowledge authorities should must not be madeallow to disappeto ar or diedisappear or die

despite the colonial and racial onslaught suffered through Western imperialism. For

Hammersmith (2017), IKs are relative and are linked to communities that produce them and

they manifest themselves through a number of dimensions, which, among others include

food, medicines, securityand security,; including agriculture, language and crafts skills.

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Findings of an analysis of African education systems by Higgs (2016) affirms that, in the

majority of the countries, the education systems reflect colonial education paradigms.

Therefore, there is need to decolonise the school curriculum by integrating IKs in the formal

education systems. This approach will has potential to help discover homegrown solutions to

problems that affect the education systems. Msila (2016) says that the integration of IKs in

the formal education systems is strategic restructuring of the African Eeducation Ccurriculum

(AEC) so that it becomes more relevant and applicable to African challenges. This is the

process of indigenising education through integration of IKs in formal education systems.

Integrating IKs in formal education entails infusing the wealth of indigenous ways of

knowing and doing things into education and in particular into schools curricular while at the

same time utilising IKs in human and economic development.

A number of countries in Africa have indigenised their educational systems integrated IKs in

formal education with different levels of success and challenges. This study agrees that levels

of success differ because the quality of management differs. In this view, the, this study

intends also intends to establish the effect of leadership in influencing line managers.

Cameroon (2016)’s study concluded that integrating IKs in formal education was are a huge

failure due resistance from formal education institutions that receive huge donations from

Western countries. In Kenya for example, a study by Mwiuriku and Ngorogo (2017) on the

importance of IKs in formal education concluded that IKs recorded positive outcomes in

building the concept of Ubuntu/Hunhu and a sense of belonging to learners.

In Zimbabwe, efforts to integrate IKs systems are in progress, for instance the Better

Environmental Science Teaching (BEST) whichthat, among other issues includes the

teaching of Science using IKs was introduced (Chikunda, 2007). Regardless of the effort, the

BEST program failed to integrate IK systems in practical classroom learning (Shizha, 2016).

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Specifically, private schools tend to produce graduates who seem to dominate the v=few

employment opportunities that arise nationwide. Furthermore, there was the introduction of

Education with Production whose main focusfocus was on adding IKs to practical subjects

such as Agriculture and Home Economics. However, these initiatives failed to fully

integrated IK systems in formal education that, and according to Sigauke (2016), was

regarded as backward and retrogressive by the western scientists. Moreover, programs that

tried to integrate IK systems in formal education in the past did not include the how, why,

when and the tools parts of implementing the curriculum, as well as the content that that

needed to be integrated in the syllabi (Mavhunga, 2016).

However, the current education curriculum in Zimbabwe is designed to integrate and include

IK systems in the formal teaching and learning processes, which is regarded is a progressive

way of reclaiming the importance of IK systems in education. A number of studies

(Mandebvu, 2019; Nhewe, 2019; & Mabuto, 2020) agreed that there is limited knowledge on

the level of integrating IKs in formal schools. It is against this background that the this study

research sought to investigate the opportunities and challenges of Integrating Indigenous

knowledge (IK) into the Formal Educational System in Zimbabwe. Figure 1.1 illustrate a

version of how

Indigenous knowledge may be infused into the education system to provide specific ways

that indigenous knowledge systems may be implemented into the education systems. The

model offers diverse views on how nature and science that have general differences from the

Western knowledge of science may be applied to allow IKs to perform in parallel application

in education. Furthermore, the model also introduces various perspectives on natural

knowledge and the way the human beings process knowledge.

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Source: [Link]

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1.3 Statement of the problem
Studies in the last decade,decade carried out in Zimbabwe on IKs (Mapara, 2009; Shoko,

2012; Tatira, 2018) point to and commonly coincide on the view that there is need to include

IKs in the school curriculum. But the questions that needs answers is how may that inclusion

be done without affecting the smooth follow of the formal education? The research findings

from the available literature showed that there are many forms of inclusive strategies

available and important to the research society. However, a review of available literature and

studies also reveal that a few researches directly focus on the opportunities and challenges of

Integrating Indigenous knowledge systems (IKs) into the Formal Educational System since

the inception of the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) in Zimbabwe. This study

therefore, seeks to close the that existing knowledge gaps by investigating how the

integration of IKs in formal education, as well as developing a deeper understanding of the

challenges and opportunities of integrating IKs in formal education and assessing strategies

that are in place to enhance integration of IK in formal education systems. Moreover, the

majority of studies on IK on education are mainly concentrated in rural areas,areas;

hencehence, findings may not reflect the complete situation transformation of the education

system in Zimbabwe. Besides, the rural contexts are rich in the IKs and the learners in urban

areas fail the test when it comes to IK systems.

1.4 Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study was to investigate the opportunities and challenges of Integrating

Indigenous Kknowledge systems (IK) into the Formal Educational System in Zimbabwe.

1.5 Research Questions

The study addressed the following broad and specific research questions

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 1.5.1 Broad Research Question
How do participants of this study describe the opportunities and challenges of integrating IKs

into the Formal Educational System in Zimbabwe?

1.5.2 Specific Research Questions

i. What opportunities are used to integrate IKs into the formal education in five

selected Primary schools in the High-Glen School District Harare?

ii. What challenges do school heads experience in integrating IKs in formal education

system in the selected two schools in the High-Glen School District, Harare?

iii. What are the drivers of the challenges experienced in integrating IK systems in

formal education in the selected Primary schools in High-Glen District?

iv. What are the supporting structures and skills used by facilitators to integrate IKs in

the formal education systems in the purposefully selected schools in High-Glen

District, Harare?

v. What strategies do school heads use to enhance integrating IKs in the five Primary

schools in High-Glen District, Harare?

1.6 Research objectives

The study addressed the following broad and specific research objectives

1.6.1 Broad research objective

The objective of the study is to investigate the opportunities and challenges of integrating IK

into the formal education system in Zimbabwe.

1.6.2 Specific research objectives

[vi.] To iInvestigate the opportunities being used to integrate IK into formal education in five

selected Primary schools in High-Glen District Harare?

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 [vii.] To aAssess the challenges being experienced in integrating IK in formal education system

in selected schools in High-Glen District, Harare?

vi.[viii.] To determine the causes of the challenges being faced in integrating IK in formal

education in selected Primary schools in High-Glen School District?

[ix.] To iInvestigate supporting structures and skills needed by facilitators to integrate IK in

the formal education systems in selected schools in High-Glen District, Harare?

To find out the strategies being implemented to enhance integrating IK in five Primary

schools in High-Glen District, Harare?

1.7 Significance of the Study

This study is significant to learning facilitators, education administrators, learners, policy

makers as well as the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MoPSE) in various

ways whichways are described in detail below. To education administrators, the study will

provide valuable empirical information on the challenges that Zimbabwean learning

facilitators experience in their efforts to integrate IKs in the formal learning systems. Such

information will be helpful in coming up with relevant recommendations on areas that need

to be improved for seamless integration of IK in the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC).

Policy Makers: To the policy makers, findings of this study can be used as the foundation

upon which they will be able to come up with practical, policies, strategies and resources that

can result in full integration of IK systems in the CBC. Moreover, this study has potential to

provide policy makers with first-hand information on issues being that impede the integration

of IKs in the formal education so that policy makers blend their professional knowledge with

the views of groups tasked with implementing integration at classroom level.

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To MoPSE the study will provide an opportunity for the MoPSE to understand challenges

that impede integrating IKs in the formal education systems so that adjustment in terms of

skills, structure and resources succeeds. The study has potential to add to the existing body of

literature and policies that the MoPSE can use in understanding the importance of IKs in the

formal education systems in line with the CBC.

Primary school learners: This study provides a platform for learners to share their views on

integrating IKs in formal education systems. This is important in that relevant education

authorities can make informed decisions based on first hand experiences.

Closing Literature Gaps: The findings of this study will have potential to add more

information on issues related to integration of IK systems in the formal education systems in

Zimbabwe, with particular reference to implementation of the CBC. The findings of this

study may benefit the baseline for future studies as they relate to integration of IKs in the

formal education system in Zimbabwe.

1.8 My motivation for carrying out the study

I started my primary education in 1983. It is during this time that authorities looked down

upon indigenous knowledge systems, although I experienced benefits of using indigenous

knowledge systems. School authorities considered IK systems as backward and retrogressive.

I started my secondary education in 1990. Again, Indigenous Knowledge systems and beliefs

continued to be frowned upon in the formal education systems in schools, universities and

colleges. The importance of IKs has been neglected in favour of modernised knowledge

systems and at this stagestage; I can declare the IKs dead and out of focus.

The current education curriculum in Zimbabwe was designed to integrate and include IK

Systems in the formal learning contexts, which are regarded as a progressive way of

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reclaiming the importance of IKs in education. Studies in recent years, (Mandebvu, 2019;

Nhewe, 2019 & Mabuto, 2020) concur that there is limited knowledge on the impact and

levels of integrating IK in formal schooling. It is against this background that I was motivated

to investigate the opportunities and challenges of integrating systems indigenous knowledge

(IK) into the Formal Educational System in Zimbabwe.

1.9 Assumptions of the Study

The study was guided by the following assumptions.

i. Participants will provide honest, clear and correct responses.

ii. Study participants were assumed to be a true representation of the general

population.

iii. The targeted respondents would demonstrate clear understanding the questions in the

research instruments.

1.10 Limitations of the Study

A number of limitations were expected to impede the success of this study. The first

limitation that was experienced in this study is that targeted respondents were at first not

willing to freely share their views for the fear of the unknown. To overcome this limitation

the researcher explained the academic goals and objectives of this study at the same time

ensuring respondents that privacy and confidentiality of respondent names and information

will not be shared with anyone. The study, although it is of great importance to the whole

education systems it was carried out in a small specific area of High Glen District which

provides limited information from other schools. To overcome this limitations a number of

data collection methods were utilised which resulted in collection of deep and wide data

related to the topic which can be inferred to other areas.

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1.11 Delimitations of the study

The study is limited to five selected Primary schools in High Glen District in Harare. In terms

methodological delimitation, the study will use qualitative data collection, analysis and

presentation methods. Targeted population will be teachers and School Heads to give their

perceptions on the challenges and opportunities presented by the Updated Curriculum. On

timeframe delimitation, the study covered a five year period from 2018 to 2023. The

reviewed conceptual, theoretical and empirical literature focused on the opportunities and

challenges for integrating indigenous knowledge into the formal education curricular.

1.12 Ethical Considerations

The study was guided by a number of ethical considerations, which are defined by Wolcot
(2016) as a set of guiding principles, or morals that controls the way a research should be
conducted without harming participants and the researcherA number of ethical
considerations, which are defined by Wolcot (2016) as a set of guiding principles, or morals
that controls the way a research should be conducted without harming participants and the
researcher guided the study. The following research ethics guided the practice of date
collection during the course of the study. Firstly, the objectives of the study were clearly
outlined to the respondents. I informed the respondents that participation in the study was
voluntary without any cash or kind benefits. Demands in terms of time, probing and effort
were also explained before engaging respondents in all interviews. Research participants
were informed that it was their right to withdrew from the research at any given time if they
feel that their rights are being infringed on. To achieve and confidentiality, the identity of
participants was not shared with anyone.

1.13 Definition of Terms

Integrating knowledge systems: To include as a constituent part or functionality (Bharat,

2017). In this study focus will be including IK in the formal education systems in

Zimbabwe.

Indigenous Knowledge: Indigenous knowledge are a body of knowledge, or bodies of

knowledge of the indigenous people of particular geographical areas that they have

survived on for a very long time (Altieri, 2015).

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Formal education: official learning systems that are recognised by the government and are

included in the national curriculum or syllabus for all learners and teachers to use

(Newman and Fern, 2015). In this case formal education refers to the CBC curricular

being offered in primary and secondary schools in Zimbabwe.

1.14 organisation of the study

Chapter one introduced the entire study by outlining the background of the study, research

problem, research questions, significance of the study, study limitations, assumptions of the

study as well as the ethical considerations of the study. Chapter 2 of the study presented a

review of literature of the study topic. The theoretical, empirical and conceptual literature is

presented in line with the specific objectives of the study. Chapter 3 presents the

methodology of the study. Chapter 4 presents the findings of the study. Chapter five presents

the conclusions and recommendations of the study.

1.15 Chapter Ssummary of Chapter 1

This chapter was an introduction to the research study which focused on the opportunities and

challenges for integrating indigenous knowledge into the formal education curricular.

Included in this chapter is the background of the study, the research problem statement,

research questions, and significance of the study, study limitations, study delimitations and

ethical considerations. The next chapter presents a review of literature related to the study

topic.

References

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Cameroon, D (2016). Society Schools and progress in Africa. London

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Hammersmith, J.A (2017). [Link] Western Knowledge

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Higgs, (2015). African philosophy and the transformation of educational discourse.

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