Civic engagement and social responsibility in Zimbabwean schools: analysing community-school partnerships and the heritage, competence-based curriculum

Abstract

Zimbabwe has been implementing educational reforms to promote civic engagement, social responsibility, and community involvement in schools. Central to these efforts is the Heritage, Competence-Based Curriculum (HCBC), which seeks to align formal education with community needs by emphasising practical skills, cultural awareness, and active citizenship. This study adopted the Social Network Theory (SNT) as a conceptual framework to understand the relationships and interactions among key stakeholders in education. An integrated methodological approach, combining focus group discussions (FGDs) and document analysis, provided a strong foundation for examining civic engagement and social responsibility in Zimbabwe’s government and public schools. The study highlights the critical role of community-school partnerships in the success of the HCBC, emphasising the need for greater community involvement in decision-making processes and school governance. While the HCBC has the potential to equip pupils with vital competencies through project-based learning and collaboration, several challenges were identified, including limited community engagement, inadequate resources for citizenship education, and an overemphasis on traditional academic achievements. Key findings reveal that School Development Committees (SDCs) often lack the capacity for meaningful input, reducing their effectiveness. Moreover, teachers and schools are generally unaware of key organisations such as UNICEF, UNDP, and FAO, which could provide critical support. The study also underscores the importance of integrating the philosophy of Ubuntu/Unhu/Vumunhu into the curriculum, alongside values like ethics, tolerance, and mutual respect. To ensure the long-term success of the HCBC, recommendations include strengthening community-school partnerships, enhancing teacher training in citizenship education, adopting flexible teaching methods, and regularly reviewing the curriculum. These strategies aim to promote participatory citizenship, sustainable development, and a more inclusive, responsive educational system that aligns with Zimbabwe's social and economic realities and online methodologies in teaching and learning at schools.