The Impact of Independent and Private Schools in the Education Sector in Zimbabwe with Particular Reference to Harare Metropolitan Province

Abstract

This study aims at exploring the impact of independent and private colleges in promoting the development of the education sector in Zimbabwe. It seeks to answer the following research questions: What is the history of the education sector in Zimbabwe?; What is the role of private and independent Colleges in providing secondary school education?; In which specific ways are private and independent secondary colleges improving the quality of education in Harare?; and Which methods can be adopted in promoting inclusive participation in the development of quality education in Zimbabwe? The aim of this study was to explore the ways in which the independent and private colleges have been contributing to the education sector in Zimbabwe. The speed of change and the explosion of new private secondary schools in Harare challenge us to have a paradigm shift away from negative perceptions about independent colleges in Zimbabwe. This has important implications for the role of the private school, which is being the major provider of knowledge and skills. In order to answer these questions, a mixed approach of qualitative research and quantitative research were used. Two main methods were used in data collection which are interviews and questionnaires. The findings suggest that private schools are playing a leading role in educating citizens in Harare, although there is need to work together with public schools with the support of government to promote quality education in secondary schools.