Challenges faced in the implementation of the Zimbabwe localised advanced level geography syllabus: a case of Gweru district high schools

Abstract

This study investigated the challenges in the implementation of Zimbabwe’s localised Advanced Level Geography syllabus. The Post-positivist framework underpinned the concurrent triangulated mixed methods design of this study. Observation and content analysis triangulated data gained from questionnaires and interviews. The population comprised of nineteen Advanced Level Geography schools in Gweru district offering the localised Advanced Level Geography syllabus, three hundred former Advanced Level Geography students, three hundred and twenty-six current Advanced Level Geography students, and three relevant officers. A sample of twelve schools was selected by stratified random sampling to include rural day schools, mission schools, low-density high schools and high-density high schools as school type in the districts, and purposive sampling used to select teachers, students and officers respectively. Findings indicated that teachers employed teacher-centred approaches, lacked adequate instructional media and resources, had challenges in syllabus interpretation, and students had negative attitudes towards certain syllabus topics.