Towards the implementation of the ‘School on the Shop Floor’ Curriculum Strategy in Zimbabwe Secondary Schools.

Towards the implementation of the ‘School on the Shop Floor’ Curriculum Strategy in Zimbabwe Secondary Schools

Aleck Sithole¹, Onismo Stephen Hahlani², Tapiwa Muzari^1
1National University of Science and Technology, Department of Technical and Engineering Education and Training
²National University of Science and Technology, Department of Art Design and Technology Education

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2023.701057
Received: 20 September 2023; Accepted: 28 September 2023; Published: 02 November 2023

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to unpack why the School on the Shop Floor curriculum strategy has yet to be implemented since its birth in 2015 (Moyo,2015) before the competence-based curriculum was introduced in Zimbabwe Secondary Schools in 2017 (MoPSE,2015). The notion was to unearth the causalities of failure to embrace this educational thrust towards education 5.0’s initiative, teaching, research, community service, innovation, and industrialization by the school heads, heads of departments, and subject teachers. The study was guided by the bottom-up model for policy implementation based on a competence-based education curriculum that hinges on the transformation of society’s lives through innovations and industrialization by Royan and Grayson in 2003. The qualitative case study design was employed, where semi-structured  interviews were instituted in data collection from school heads, heads of departments, subject teachers, and training officers. Selected school heads, heads of departments, subject teachers, and training officers were purposively considered to participate in the study. Three subject teachers, three training officers, three heads of departments, and three heads of schools comprised the selected participants. The study findings indicated that inadequate human, capital, and material resources were the major hitches to the implementation of a competence-based curriculum strategy in Zimbabwe secondary schools. The study was evaluated against Education 5.0 with the insertion of innovation and industrialization. All participants lamented the need for public-private partnerships in curriculum design and implementation, shared resources, knowledge, and skills for the benefit of the learners and community.  The researcher recommends that the authorities under this Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, (MoPSE) should observe that all incapacitated schools need to be resourced for the benefit of all the learners regardless of the regional sphere towards the development of the country and the world’s labor force to promote community service and entrepreneurship skills development (ESD).

Keywords: School on the Shop Floor., Curriculum Strategy, implementation, contextual learning

INTRODUCTION

The advent of industrialists in Zimbabwe has raised concerns regarding secondary school graduates when the business sector intends to hire them before they obtain training (Coltart, 2012) The business sector has perceived that learners have limited exposure to the industry as demonstrated by the failure of schools to implement the strategy ‘The School on the Shop floor’ to learners while in secondary schools apart from education expeditions and industrial attachment which they receive as a requirement of tertiary training. Moyo, (2015), ‘The School on the Shop Floor’ refers to the attachment engagement by the learners to business organizations for the subject under study to gain experience in the world of work, mainly for Ordinary and Advanced level learners. According to this model, education is mandated to enable learners to prepare themselves to become competent employees through an authentic and self-steered learning experience. This is one of the reasons that learners require hands-on attachment experience whilst in school the learners are trained to solve problems rather than just following the textbook, and what is learned in the classroom is brought into closer contact with what is learned practical. Academic disciplines are progressively used as a starting point for the design of Vocational Education and training (VET) programs in other countries like the Netherlands (Billet,2011). Throughout history, the function of Zimbabwean education has been seen not as only imparting knowledge but also as helping learners to learn about them. Chikoore and Museva (2014) state that schools now compete in the economic market, thus, they have to sell themselves not only in academic terms but also in terms of the social ethos. The 1999 Presidential Commission of Inquiry into Education and Training (CIET) recommended that the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MoPSE) should strengthen and institutionalize some technical subjects from Early Childhood Development (ECD) level to secondary school level in preparation for tertiary education and training in order adapt to society. The National Technical Departments are the linchpin in establishing the ethos of the schools and the acquisition of life-long skills. The first impetus for situating education in a real-life setting is the movement towards the provision of workplace experience to secondary school learners, hence the essence of the ‘School on the Shop floor’ program as a form of contextual learning (MoPSE), 2015) This strategy works well when teachers are skilled in the approach and resources are available. In adopting this strategy, the MoPSE workshopped some of the learning areas teachers nationwide in 2015 on the concept and how it should be implemented. However, despite these efforts teachers appear to struggle to implement it due to some problems which include inadequate information about this curriculum strategy, inadequate resources, teacher capacity, and limited documentation about the model among other sticky reasons.

Statement of the problem

The period that has been taken to implement ‘The School on the Shop floor’ curriculum strategy in most Zimbabwean secondary school is a cause of concern that need to be addressed urgently. There is a need to identify why this ‘School on the Shop floor’ strategy is failing to take off yet it’s a noble program. The curriculum strategy operates entirely inside and outside of the schools in collaboration with business partners who then provide the facilities to which learners are attached. The first motivation for this education arrangement in a real-life context is the movement towards the provision of workplace experience to high school learners which is limited, hence the need to practice ‘The School on the Shop floor’ program has a form of contextual learning (Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MoPSE), 2015). This strategy works well when teachers are skilled in the approach and resources are available. In adopting this strategy, the MoPSE workshopped some of the subject teachers nationwide in 2015 on the concept and how it should be implemented. However, despite these efforts school staff appear to struggle to implement it due to several constraints which include inadequate documented information about this curriculum strategy, inadequate resources, and teacher capacity among others. This has triggered the researcher’s interest in the subject and intends to explore why this strategy is yet to be addressed in Zimbabwean Secondary school settings.

Research Questions

RQ1:What are the factors impeding “The School on Shop Floor” Curriculum Strategy implementation in Zimbabwean Secondary Schools?

RQ2:What are the opportunities gained if The School on the Shop Floor curriculum strategy is implemented in Zimbabwean Secondary Schools?

RQ3:How does public-private partnership assist mentorship of the school on Shop Floor teaching and learning?

RQ4:Which strategies can be adopted by secondary schools to successfully implement The School on the Shop Floor curriculum?

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

The study sought to examine the challenges hindering embracing opportunities that come with the implementation of “The School On the Shop Floor Curriculum Strategy” in Zimbabwe as this has benefited the developed world since its implementation in other states in the world ( Deitmer, Burchert, and Han, 2013). The theoretical framework adopted for this study is the bottom-up model developed by Rogan and Grayson and is known as the “Theory of Curriculum Implementation” (Rogan and Grayson, 2003). The theory comprises the profile of implementation, the external support for curriculum, and the School’s capacity to support implementation as its three main pillars connecting the strategy constructs. The three constructs have inputs connected and are nurturing into each of the constructs. Rogan and Grayson, (2003) demonstrate that the three constructs of the theory can be measured using indicators, which are broad enough to embrace related factors but are narrow enough to include one main idea. The theory recognizes existing realities that shape the strengths of the components of an educational system which include allied agents namely teachers, learners, and the school settings, (Rogan and Grayson, 2003). When implementing a curriculum strategy, a school needs to take note of the inputs interconnected to the three constructs or concepts’ main pillars as they affect the process in different ways which are positive and negative. Rogan and Grayson, (2003) state that during the profile of implementation the strengths are identified by trying to make sense of what is needed. There was an attempt to understand and express the extent to which the ideals of a set of curriculum plans are being put into practice, ideas of what constitutes good practice, and what it looks like in the classroom. Excellence should reflect what learners have learned and can do after teaching and learning have transpired regardless of their exit stages from the school system, (Rogan & Grayson, 2003). This has been Sloane (2004) said that good practice of this curriculum would mean that the learning processes at schools should deepen the practical learning experience at the workplace in industry, service, and business. Systematic practice and theory knowledge should help to better understand the practical dimensions of learning at the workplace.

LITERATURE REVIEW

The School on the Shop Floor’Curriculum Strategy

Moyo (2015) defines ‘The School on the Shop Floor’ as the collaboration of schools with business partners that provide the facilities to which learners are attached. In this study, ‘The School on the Shop Floor is viewed as the work-based learning process that takes place either inside or outside school. The pedagogical learning process should not just be a reform but also an institutional and personal transformative drive to equip schools to change from traditional vocational education schools into institutions or centers for the beginning and development of work-based learning. The Zimbabwe secondary schools do technical and vocational subjects, and arts and science learning areas. Different scholars have done some research on this curriculum strategy and they have different views. The researcher sought to unearth issues of public-private partnerships among businesses and learning institutions on aspects of preparedness regarding the implementation of ‘The School on the Shop Floor’ curriculum. ‘The School on the Shop Floor’ information is narrated from different angles by authorities.

The Opportunities gained via ‘The School on the Shop Floor’ curriculum strategy

The opportunities of ‘The School on the Shop floor’ curriculum strategy were alluded to by Ryan and Imel (2006) that students gain knowledge through direct participation in the work process. The agents for this transformation have to organize the knowledge flow and the slap of practice and theory between the learners and company trainers. This was supported by Ryan and Lmel (2006) who point out that the process enables students to learn effectively and acquire job experience that reinforces academic instruction. Leslie (2015) outlines the following benefits of attachment to the students whilst in schools,

• an opportunity to examine theory through practice and enhance possibilities of integration experiences to the real world of work.
• It broadens knowledge through increased awareness of the opportunities available at their disposal to share an understanding of the diversity of the business sector.
• personal development, for example, communication skills, working with others, self-discipline, presentation of self, and where applicable working away from home and learning to stand on one’s feet
• experience of working in a particular sector which will help them in deciding which sector to choose on completion of high school level
• the possibility of having been exposed to significant aspects of the company’s training scheme, reference is likely to attract greater interest from potential employers than experience gained from other sources.

On the other hand, the benefits for companies that work with schools, according to Leslie (2015) include the opportunity to employ intelligent, able, and willing persons. The possibility is that the student will be more knowledgeable about non-line management practices. In support of that, the United Kingdom National Employer Leadership Council (2011) highlights that the benefits of placing students on attachment whilst in schools include the opportunity to improve the curriculum.

Evaluations of ‘The School on the Shop floor curriculum’ strategy

Several factors have been cited in the evaluation of the effectiveness of ‘The School on the Shop Floor’ which is the attachment of learners whilst at the secondary school level. Ryan and Lmel (2006) highlight the importance of linking the academic curriculum to the work situation where students get attached. In turn, Olubenga (2009) points out that the quality of available resources is a key success factor, in particular, the need for a match between the technological resources used by students in school and those used while on industrial attachment. As a result, mismatches of resources affect the learning process for the student and diminish the potential benefits to, the student, industry, and school. Closely related to the quality of resources is the expertise and experience of industry trainers who should have up-to-date skills and knowledge that will be imparted to students in a manner that fosters some sense of continuous improvement among learners (Monarth, 2008). Apart from having high skills the trainers in industry and the teachers should ensure that the training offered is timely and meets the real needs of society (Bottoms and McNally, 2008) which is a key imperative in rapidly changing global business environments and technological advances.

Concerning the learners, Little (2010) draws attention to the need for positive attitudes towards applied learning within the world of business. Both teachers and learners should be fully committed, engaged, and prepared to apply and reflect on how academic teaching and learning relate to the world of work. According to Svotwa et al (2014), the critical elements require positive student attitudes that include being responsible, open, punctual, and cooperative. In particular, the aspect of being responsible requires students to be attentive, and observant and seek clarity in cases where they do not understand. The greatest challenge to this reform is that there is a need for the creation of active, transitional players of teachers and business training officers. Both partners must identify the integral work and learning tasks in the student learning areas and plan accordingly.

Gumbe et al (2012) pointed out that the program was introduced by MoPSE to bridge the gap between theory and practice. However, the related secondary motive was to counter the idea that some learning areas lack real industrial practical experience in class because of limited pieces of equipment for practice and experienced staff. In light of these trends, the MoPSE introduced the ‘The School on the Shop Floor’ curriculum strategy a teaching methods in various learning areas. The main recommendations by Gumbe et al (2012) which were in support of this observation by Olugbenga, (2009) were that schools needed to upgrade the technology used in the learning process. The views of the changes and improvements in curricula resonated with the world of industrialization and innovation and these should be incorporated into the academic curricula by the Ministry of Education.

Mupfumira and Mutsambi (2012), this strategy was adopted in implementing the industrial attachment program for Ordinary and Advanced level learners program in Zimbabwean secondary schools. Olubenga et al, (2009) noted that the mismatch of equipment and technological aspects affected the student’s learning process and experience in schools. As a result, the ministry felt students are not fully equipped due to minimum to exposure the business world. Most organizations or companies feel learners waste materials that could be used in a more productive move if they are engaged in this learning strategy as the ministry is silent about how this move is resourced. Businesses feel students are prone to errors and mistakes in their operations due to a lack of confidence and composure. Adjei et al (2014), the role of the student industrial attachment program in Ghanaian public schools program was to provide a catalyst for the transition from the classroom to the world of work. To enhance the partnerships between industry and the schools, integrating practice with theory and building students’ confidence levels as well as creating a pool for future recruits. Public-private partnership between business and schools mean that this learning phenomenon has to be identified and developed out of the workplace that is players has to identify what the potential work tasks offer for learning and how these tasks can be arranged into a learning outcome. A curriculum of this magnitude does not only call for the re-design of learning outcomes but also the development and collaboration of both the teacher and the training officers. The weaknesses of inadequate logistics, poor funding, lack of follow-up visits, and poor supervision of students have to be addressed in this learning strategy. Professional development in collaborative partnerships between schools and organizations taking part students for attachment is the call for both teachers and industrial-based trainers if this competence-based assessment approach is to be suited for evaluating students’ learning within the workplace. in Botswana, the high school student and industrial sector attachment program has spiked relevant to both teachers and learners (Svotw et al,2014), a six-month or longer industrial attachment period for learners and involving industry in the school curriculum development was approved.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This qualitative study is grounded on an interpretive paradigm that utilized a case study research design. This research approach was preferred as it gives an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the participant’s feelings and perceptions (Creswell,2013), concerning the implementation of The school on the shopfloor curriculum strategy in Zimbabwean secondary schools. It seeks to apprehend human beings in the natural environment in which they exist.  Participants for the study were composed of heads of schools, heads of departments, teachers from targeted schools, and training officers from business organizations. Three heads of schools, three heads of departments, three teachers from identified schools, and three training officers from industry workplaces took part in the study. The collected data was analyzed into the narrative description and interpretations The discussions that followed were presented based on emerging themes from the research questions. For ethical considerations in the study the participants were coded with pseudo names; Heads =H1-H 3, Head of Department  =HOD1-HOD3, Teachers =Tr1 –Tr 3 and Training Officer =TraOffer1 –TraOffer3.This was clearly explanined in the consent form which they all signed as an agreement to protect their persons and subsequent contributions.Clearance from respective institutions and organisations were sought for access to participants .

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS

The qualitative data was collected through the use of semi-structured interviews from three head schools, three heads of departments, three subject teachers, and three training officers as participants from secondary schools and business and industrial sectors in Zimbabwe respectively. The findings reveal emerging themes deduced from data as limited time on learning schedule and staff who in this case need to accompany the learners to the organizations and spend their time there for the safety and an encouraging environment of the learner and confidence building to parents. From the pool of school heads, heads H1 and H3 concur that although the school on the shop floor curriculum strategy is a noble idea their fear is these young learners cannot be let to participate in a business environment without adult guidance, otherwise it was a disaster ahead of this move. They lamented that this was going to create a lot of constraints on their school timetable and staff who in this case need to accompany these learners to the organizations and spend their time there for the safety of the learner and confidence building to parents. H2 also echoed the same sentiments that the move is quite noble but changing their normal culture of spending most of their time in school might be a challenge to everyone. H2 and HOD1 also bemoaned the unavailability of resources given the economic situation, to ferry learners to industry and back to the school station for security reasons.

HOD 1 and TraOffer 2 reveal that vocational education is designed to ensure that appropriate skills and attitudes are imparted to the learners who will be taught to appreciate the role of productive work and eventually undertake it. HOD 2 contends that:

 “Co-operation between education and industrial enterprises increases the relevance of vocational education to industry and provides a good opportunity to meet required industrial standards and training needs”.

The findings unearth the relevance of school education to employment expectations and engagement in students’ career guidance, employees, and employers in Zimbabwean secondary schools and the business sector. All participants recommended that a business-school partnership atmosphere need to be created. This partnership could be in the form of career guidance, holiday job opportunities, attachments of teachers and learners to industry and business (school on the shop floor), the financing of problem-solving issues, competitions by the business world, and joint curriculum development. This will provide teachers with an opportunity to update the curriculum so that it is relevant to the needs of the industry. Educationists need to be seconded to companies such that they will be able to update their know-how on what is happening in the industry. In addition to this, the teachers need exposure to the informal sector to develop relevant programs for this sector to assist school graduates in completing their school work. Thus, the learners need industrial skills, business aptitudes, and knowledge to fit into the world of work.  

School heads and heads of departments seem not to be aware of the roadmap toward the shop floor curriculum strategy implementation due to the limited documentation challenges that come with the competence-based skills curriculum although this on the shop floor was long overdue to be implemented. H3, HOD 1, and HOD2 challenged the move saying at the moment no specific documents are backing the curriculum strategy although it is a good idea that will shape the learners’ career path. They exposed that this strategy must be an optional thing meant to those who can afford, it because generally, these schools are different, in terms of what they have infrastructure and income as well as locations.Tr1 and Tr3 concur with the fact that at the moment industries are closed and it is only viable to those who want to venture into medicine, nursing agriculture, and entrepreneurship as these are the common sectors that are operational at the moment.  These are the challenges faced in trying to implement school on the shop floor curriculum strategy in Bulawayo and the country as a whole.

As a roadmap training officers need to receive adequate mentorship training such that they can handle the school learners TraOffer 2 and TraOffer 3 expose that they did not receive any training aligned to the school on the shop floor.

 “As training Officers who are to deal with these learners, we did not reach any coaching as to how we were are to operate, given that this is a new thing although not new across the globe but to Zimbabwe”. 

Teachers also indicated that they never received any training from the MOPSE, some teachers indicated that they did receive training in terms of School on the Shopfloor curriculum implementation. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Schools is to enhance its support to the teachers such that departments and organizations under the ministry can monitor on school on the shopfloor curriculum. Support is versatile to produce a well-trained and multi-dimensional skilled learner who meets the full requirements of the respective roles aimed at developing careers among learners. Support for teachers comes from the supervision by the school heads, heads of department’s teachers, and the school development committee as appointed by the body of parents and the Ministry of Education. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has a responsibility to set out rules and policies to provide a specialized and unique education with goals and educational needs (Mosia, 2011). The policy outlines some roles and responsibilities of the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, school boards, and schools to give support to the teachers teaching in schools. At the moment, teachers define how they understand school on the shop floor and its outcomes. Tr1 Tr3 and Tr 2 lamented that the school of the shop floor learning strategy lacks proper documents and support from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.

Teachers went on to dirge that, even the industry and commerce are yet to be advised, unlike colleges and universities who advise industry through Zimbabwe manpower development, MOPSE has done little on the part of the expectation of their curriculum strategy, but from them, this is not a new thing. Train Officers showed that they are yet to consult with other sister companies across the world, and learn how they are doing otherwise they are in a dark atmosphere about the development.

H1, HOD2, and Tr2 expose that there is a need to inquire from all facets of the industry and commerce and unearth to see if the stakeholders are prepared to be engaged in the process of learning although there are the end users of the products of this education system. H1 reiterated

‘ On the school on the shop floor curriculum strategy is a principled idea but there is a need to establish structures that need to be involved in the running of teaching and learning to come up with a meaningful development of the learning process” 

However, curriculum implementers for the school of the shop floor who are educationists and training officers need to be worshipped and trained together for these people to be prepared to do mentorship to learners. Participants highlighted that before learners get to industry and commerce, safety and health officers need to assess infrastructures for both industry and commerce as well as the school to see if the trajectory between the two setups is aligned. HOD3 exposed that:

 “These young learners, younger as they are need to be equipped with safety and health of the workshop environment for the safety of learners” 

Though most learners are equipped with safety and health now that this would be a new environment learners need to be highly equipped with the objective of the strategy and the benefits drawn from the new learning environment which involves the use of new machines and tools.

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is expected by the school boards to meet the needs of teachers and avail the necessary resources throughout the year for the successful implementation of school on the shop floor in Zimbabwean secondary schools. Implementation of school on the shop floor can be seen in the learner’s output per school and how they behave since the thrust of the education system is to develop aptitudes values and attitudes. However, responses from the teachers indicated that the support from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is not adequate at all for the purpose the school on the shop floor intended.

Tr3 reveals “Learning process with adequate support makes connections between new and already known information. Through that information, learners acquire more knowledge and skills and their attitudes toward the learning area become positive. They develop self-regulation and become responsible learners.

Another issue raised by teachers that is not conducive to learning is the school environment where Tr1 and Tr2 asserted respectively

“A good environment is a necessity, especially for learners. A learner must be able to learn, play and explore experience to touch, sound and sight is vital” 

 “A good environment also helps learners to learn effectively and work independently. In most schools that were visited, the playgrounds are not safe for learners and other schools do not even have enough classrooms to talk less about playgrounds. This implies that the nature and adequacy of the support is limited. A classroom is a special kind of community of learners that provides a social support system”

 The support system embodies interdependence and caring which enhances the learner’s responsibility to learn communication and interpersonal skills, career skills, and citizenship skills. Communication skills develop in a social environment that encourages learners to communicate in natural and meaningful ways.

Evidence drawn from visits to the schools soliciting facts of support concerning the successful implementation of the school shop floor was lacking. Appropriate support is one of the key elements that is needed to equip teachers with the necessary documents and resources needed to teach the various learning areas. Moreover, there is a strong demand for professional development on teaching methodologies that will indicate a consciousness among teachers and training officers that strategies not currently utilized would benefit learners. HOD3 suggested that there is a need for strategies that will move away from the traditional instructional model (teacher and textbook as the main sources of knowledge and lecturing, discussion, and reading as the main methodologies) towards a more active, experiential learning that will benefit all learners. In addition, teachers participating in professional development must be given access to information on current, evidence-based resources and the opportunity to implement such when teaching and learning are done. Such information will improve the educational experience for all learners.

HOD1, HOD2, HOD3, Tr2, and Tr3 spoke of resources and mentorship integration into learning and teaching, the participant discloses that the is a need to marry mentorship with resources that is industrial officer need to use real machines and equipment unlike at schools such that learners benefit. For the curriculum contents to be effectively implemented, at any stage of the educational system, some materials are expected to complement the classroom activities. For efficient strategy delivery, teachers and learners need to be resourced for effective implementation strategies from the classroom levels of any educational program. In most cases, the curriculum is implemented without these resources making it difficult for learners to assimilate lessons. Tr2 exposed that instead of moving ahead from the implementation stage to the continuation stage, a change would suffer from the failure to be used in the intended manner and the rejection by decision-makers. No meaningful teaching and learning take place without adequate resource materials, this also applies to curriculum implementation initiated without full support.  For the School on the Shop Floor curriculum to be fully implemented as per plan, the government or Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MoPSE) needs to resources schools with adequate resource materials such as textbooks, teaching aids, and stationery to enable educationists to play their part in the curriculum implementation process.

There is a need for feedback and a way forward of strategy for both school and industry. TraOffer2 and TraOffer1 expose that their approach to teaching “the classroom as shop floor,” involves a process of interactive teaching through simulations, problems, and discussion, which draws upon some of the natural parallels that exist between workers and their employer and learners and the school.

TraOffer 3 alluded that

“In each setting, a hierarchy exists that places workers and students in a lower status that can rob them of an effective voice in regulating their respective “workplaces.” 

 TraOffer 3 highlighted that:

 Like a mentor, a training officer can directly control the fate of a learner. Just as the teacher retains authority for planning and grades, the supervisor retains the power to hire, fire, and give raises.

 The goal of Training Officers is to ultimately allow learners to see the effects of that dynamic on workers and to have them re-evaluate their career party and perhaps abandon any assumptions they possessed concerning the employment relationship, training strategies as is done by off-high school learners, and the proper status of workers. This has been supported in the literature review when it is pointed out that The aim of ‘The School on the Shop Floor’ initiative in secondary schools is to transform the student experience from one that is primarily informative to one that prepares the learner for the encounters of work and practice and engages them in their learning, through creation. Based on the findings, it has been identified that the learning experience for students was a complex and active process in the post-digital era.

The study revealed several impediments to Schools on the shop floor strategy curriculum implementation. Limited room for public-private partnerships between the schools and the industry and commerce, emerged as the major barriers to the curriculum implementation strategy in Zimbabwe secondary schools. The results from the study indicated that the strategy does not have viable documentation in terms of the policy to support, thus the major reason why most secondary schools are failing to engage in this initiative. The teachers indicated that they were hesitant to engage in curriculum implementation due its limited information regarding how to handle the teaching and learning medium of instruction. This, therefore, resulted in the feeling that engaging industry and business as a deviation from their traditional way of teaching and learning is a waste of valuable teaching time. The teachers opted for their normal teaching to fully prepare the learners for the examinations which are set by examination boards.

 Tr1 indicated that:

“ time  and protocol to engage business and industry is highly limited  as we need to balance the timetable for our usual lesson conduct in preparation for our examinations”

It also emerged from the findings that the school heads’ and the teachers’ negative attitudes, actions, and behavior hindered training officers from participating in the teaching and learning of learners. The schools closed their classroom doors to the community members, thereby obstructing community participation in this curriculum implementation strategy. The established closed-door policy by the teachers and the school heads also resulted in the lack of communication or the unavailability of dialogical space. The teachers and the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education could not discuss openly and freely how they could work together concerning issues related to the teaching and learning of learners under this setup. Thus, this was evident that the MOPSE did not seriously consider Educationists as valuable agents in curriculum implementation. This was caused by a lack of curriculum agents ( the teachers and the school heads, the parents, and MOPSE) engagement that promotes the exchange of ideas and views regarding teaching and learning. The findings also indicated that the issue of remuneration was another barrier to teacher participation in school on the shop floor curriculum implementation strategy. The members of the industry and school communities expected the schools to be paid if they were to offer their services during the teaching and learning process on the school shop floor. On the other hand, the schools found it difficult to pay allowances to train officers’ services because such services were not catered for in the existing policies that guided the daily activities of the secondary and primary schools in Zimbabwe. Thus, as policy, the schools could not offer any payment to any participating member in the process of teaching and learning of the school on the shop floor curriculum. Due to the lack of remuneration most educationists, therefore, found it difficult to offer free services in curriculum implementation, and leave their normal teaching and learning activities.

CONCLUSION

Limited human, capital, and material resources and imperfect room for public-private partnerships and appropriate documentation that support the drive towards the idea were the major shortcomings toward the implementation of the ‘School on the Shop floor’ curriculum strategy in secondary schools in Zimbabwe unlike in other countries. The study was evaluated against Education 5.0 which has the thrust toward teaching research community service, Innovation, and Industrialisation. Participants lamented the need for business public-private partnerships in curriculum implementation to share resources, knowledge, and skills for the benefit of the learners and meet SDG goal four on quality education.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The researcher recommends that the authorities under MoPSE should perceive that incapacitated all schools towards the human capital development of the country and the region’s labor- force to promote community service, entrepreneurship skill development (ESDs) that will trigger the country and region’s gross domestic product ( GDP).  The is a need for a well-collaborated roadmap towards the ‘School on the Shop floor’ curriculum strategy between business organizations and MoPSE.

There is a need for sound collaborative readiness for learner mentorship between MoPSE and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce to expose the learners to industrial experience towards sharpening their careers.

Technical resources need to be extended to both sectors engaged in teaching and learning as well as retraining of training officers for mentorship integration into learning and teaching.

The business organization should open opportunities for secondary school learners in Zimbabwe, the region outside the school when secondary graduates exit the school environment.

Despite threats from the current affecting financially meaningful projects education stakeholders like UNICEF, UNESCO, and MoPSE need to provide funds for income-generation businesses to engage them for a world of work after existing secondary schools.

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education needs to equip secondary schools with resources for human capital development of the global workforce and entrepreneurship to industry and business (School on the Shop floor).

REFERENCES

1. Adjei, N.K.A., Nyarko, D.A,& Nunfam, W.F.,(2014) Industrial Attachment in Polytechnic Education: An approach to Polyechnic-Industry, Nexus in Human Development of selected Polytechnic in Ghana. Journal of Education and Practice, 5(33).
2. Bottom,G.,& McNally,.K.,(2008). Actions States can take to place a highly qualified career/technical teacher in every classroom. High School that Work Series, Southe Regional Education Board (SREB).
3. Chikoore, M. R., & Museva, S. (2014). Obstacles in the path of implementing technical/vocational education in Zimbabwe secondary schools: how can the situation be helped? Emerging trends in educational research and policy studies, 5(4):557-565 76
4. Coltart, D. (2012, October 5-7). Education for employment: developing skills for vocation in Zimbabwe. Retrieved December 18, 2017, from youtube.com: http://www.youtube.Com/watch=aA21S50kwM8
5. Creswell, J. W. (2013). Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approach. New York: Sage Publications.
6. Gumbe. S. M., Svotwa, T. D., & Mupamireyi, F.P., (2012). Students’ Perceptives of the Industrial Attachment Programme; A study of the University of Zimbabwe, Faculty of Commerce92010-2011). International Journal of Physical and Social Science 2(9) 12-36-25.
7. Leslie. D., (2015). The hospitality Industry, Industry Placements, and personnel management. Service Industry Journal 11(1) 63-74.
8. Little, B.,(2010). Competency capers; Training and Development Journal 10(3) 32-47-33
9. Moyo, T. 2015 Lack of funds hits new education curriculum. The Chronicle: 17 January 2017. Monarch, H.,(2008). Trainers: Superstars of the organization. Training and Development Journal 6(4)N63-71-35.
10. Mupfumira, I. M. (2012). Relevance of clothing curriculum to industry: a case of a Polytechnic in Zimbabwe. Saarbrucken: Lambart Academic Planning.
11. Olubenga, A.F.,(2009): Towards effective SIWES, Curriculum Development in Applied Science for Adequate Skills Utilisation: A case of study of the School of Applied Science, Nuhu Bamali Polytechnic in Ghana. Journal of Science and Technology, 10(1)234-239-38.
12. Rogan, J. M., & Grayson, D. J. (2003). Towards a Theory of Curriculum Implementation with particular reference to Science Education in Developing Countries. International Journal of Science Education 25(10), 1171-1204.
13. Rogan, J., & Aldous, C. (2003). Relationships between the constructs of a Theory of Curriculum implementation. Journal of Research in Science Teaching 42(3), 313-336.
14. Ryan,R.D.,& Lmel, .S.,(2006). School Towards; Genuine Reform of the Latest fad, The ERIC Review.
15. Svotwa, T.D., Rudhumbu, N.& Chikari, G.,(2014). Perception of industry in Botswana towards, Bothol University Students Industrial Attachement (SIA) Programme.The Business and Management Review 5(2)205,44.
16. The Guidance for Integrating the Clinical Leadership Competency Framework into Education and Training, University of Warwick Campus, Coventry,CV4 7AL. ISBN 978-1-907805-06-6