Schooling And The Drought In Zimbabwe: The Views And Reactions Of Primary School Senior Teachers

Abstract

This report presents the findings of a questionnaire survey carried out among a group of primary school senior teachers with at least 10 years teaching experience who attended an in-service course at Masvingo Teachers’ college in 1992. The survey sought their views about the effects of the drought on the demeanor, behavior and performance of pupils in their schools, and the measures, if any, which they had taken and would want Central Government to take to alleviate the problems their schools were experiencing as a result of the drought. According to the accounts of our respondents the impact of the drought on schooling was most serious in the rural areas. Respondents teaching in rural areas were more likely, than their urban counterparts, to report drought-related attitudinal and behavioral changes in pupils, curricular changes, higher absentee rates, higher proportions of children coming to school on empty stomachs and traveling long distances, and measures which the school had taken to alleviate the effects of the drought. Our respondents were unanimous in advocating forms of Government intervention, usually related to the setting up of supplementary-feeding schemes. This suggested that all our respondents, urban and rural, viewed the drought as having a negative impact on their schools, and potential solutions to the problem as being beyond the scope of local school or community based initiatives which This report presents the findings of a questionnaire survey carried out among a group of primary school senior teachers with at least 10 years teaching experience who attended an in-service course at Masvingo Teachers’ college in 1992. The survey sought their views about the effects of the drought on the demeanor, behavior and performance of pupils in their schools, and the measures, if any, which they had taken and would want Central Government to take to alleviate the problems their schools were experiencing as a result of the drought. According to the accounts of our respondents the impact of the drought on schooling was most serious in the rural areas. Respondents teaching in rural areas were more likely, than their urban counterparts, to report drought-related attitudinal and behavioral changes in pupils, curricular changes, higher absentee rates, higher proportions of children coming to school on empty stomachs and traveling long distances, and measures which the school had taken to alleviate the effects of the drought. Our respondents were unanimous in advocating forms of Government intervention, usually related to the setting up of supplementary-feeding schemes. This suggested that all our respondents, urban and rural, viewed the drought as having a negative impact on their schools, and potential solutions to the problem as being beyond the scope of local school or community based initiatives which 'lacked Government funding. Some indicated feelings of frustration with what they perceived as Government inactivity. Some reported feeling estranged from the community as a result of the drought, while others suggested that the drought had enhanced staff- community relations.'lacked Government funding. Some indicated feelings of frustration with what they perceived as Government inactivity. Some reported feeling estranged from the community as a result of the drought, while others suggested that the drought had enhanced staff- community relations.