Teachers’ challenges encountered in the marketisation of education systems at primary schools in the Mbare-Hatfield district

Lucky  Mutonhodza

doi:10.38140/ijsie.v1i1.1240

Authors

Lucky Mutonhodza Madziwa College of Education, Zimbabwe

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.38140/ijsie.v1i1.1240

Keywords:

Teachers’ challenges, Educational systems, Marketization of education

Abstract

Different forms of markertisation and privatisation have encircled the teaching profession. Internet sites that offer to produce academic work for a fee make academic work into a commodity that can be bought and sold. Most schools in Zimbabwe, the Southern African Development Community region, Africa, and beyond cannot easily afford internet services. This study explored the teachers’ challenges in understanding the educational systems due to the marketisation of education. This study utilized the mixed methods approach and the case study design because of its strength in discovering more about unexplored problems. Two school head participants and forty teachers were selected from schools in the district. Semi-structured interviews and questionnaires were used to get data from the research participants. The results unearthed that the education system is one such tool for perpetuating class divisions and social inequality. Contemporary literature has provided evidence in the exploration of teachers’ challenges encountered in the marketisation of education. To the extent that I have reviewed the literature, I found a substantial gap in knowledge about the impact of the challenges encountered in the marketisation of education. The study's objective was to determine the challenges teachers face in giving equal opportunities to poor and minority students due to the marketisation of education. There are some gaps caused by digital divides and government withdrawal from funding for public schools since the early 1990s when ESAP was embraced as an economic blueprint. The marketisation of education has negatively affected teacher integrity, sometimes leading to teacher misconduct. In recent years, the professional status of teachers seems to have been compromised. This is probably due to the changing nature of teacher professional work. Modern-day teaching practices are embroiled in an increasing struggle for private gain. Teachers must learn to cross social boundaries to make learning meaningful and relevant for all students.

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