Catering for Education Needs Of Learners With Parents In The Diaspora In Mwenezi District

Abstract

This study embedded in the family systems theoretical framework was conducted in the Mwenezi district of Zimbabwe to evaluate educational needs provisions for primary school learners with parents in the diaspora. An interpretive paradigm that incorporated a qualitative research approach and case study design was adopted to gather data through face-to-face semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions and document analysis techniques. The study had a sample of 27 participants namely 2 primary school heads, 13 teachers, 6 learners and 6 guardians who were drawn equitably from the two schools studied. Data were analysed using the thematic content technique. One of the findings from the study was that most learners left behind were not considered as vulnerable by the communities and hence were excluded from any educational assistance provided by the government. Additionally, schools had no programmes in place to cater for the welfare of learners left behind. The third finding was that learners left behind got little support at home and had difficulties coping with home and school requirements hence felt dropping out of school to follow their parents was the better option. It was established too that while in some few cases, the learners left behind were spoiled materially, the majority were spoiled socially and as a result despised education and authority. Sporting activities, harvesting Mopani worms and initiation ceremonies were also found to impact negatively on the education of learners left behind. Drawing from these findings and others reported in this study, it was recommended that counselling programmes be improved in schools by employing qualified counsellors at every school. Migration studies could be introduced at all learning levels. Thirdly, learners left behind should be registered with the department of social welfare so that anyone interested in their welfare would access information about them easily. Furthermore, resocialisation of communities and schools on parenting befitting the emerging triangulated family type ought to be done. Schools were also advised to launch income-generating projects whose proceeds should assist needy learners to get food or learning material support. Individual learner assessment mechanisms should be used when considering learners for educational welfare programmes. The other proposed recommendation was that the government ought to improve communication infrastructure in remote schools such as those in the Mwenezi district so that teachers and learners can easily interact with parents in the diaspora.