Papers by Oswell Hapanyengwi
Zimbabwe Journal of Educational Research, Aug 6, 2013
This paper is informed by the view that by accepting the principles enunciated in the Salamanca S... more This paper is informed by the view that by accepting the principles enunciated in the Salamanca Statement and Framework fo r Action on Special Needs Education, Zimbabwe opted fo r inclusion as its guiding philosophy in the provision o f Special Needs Education. In the light o f this, the paper further presents the situation o f Special Needs Education as it has historically developed in Zimbabwe, noting that it was, and largely informed by the philosophy o f integration. The argument is then made that there is need fo r conceptual clarity i f integration and inclusion are not to be confused in the provision o f Special Needs Education so that the focus should be on inclusive education for which Zimbabwe has opted. In other words, it is noted that while inclusion is the preferred concept, it appears that integration predominates the practice in Special Needs Education in Zimbabwe. This predominance largely emanates from policy documents that have been produced over the years to give guidance to those involved in the provision o f Special Needs Education. Even scholars who have written on Special Needs Education in Zimbabwe tend to betray a lack o f conceptual clarity betw een these two concepts as they tend to use them interchangeably. Thus, primary sources in the form o f policy documents from government ministries ana seconaary sources in the fo rm o f articles by scholars on Special Needs Education are discussed. It is maintained in this article that lack o f conceptual clarity often results in lack o f progress towards the attainment o f the preferredphilosophy.
SensePublishers eBooks, 2011
With the imposition of neoliberal globalisation and Eurocentric education, there is a pressing ne... more With the imposition of neoliberal globalisation and Eurocentric education, there is a pressing need for Zimbabwe to ensure that it is open and inclusive, not only for the development of its economy, but to build a cohesive and stable society. Zimbabwe faces numerous challenges, probably more than any other postcolonial state has ever encountered. Some of these are the AIDS scourge that wipes out thousands of lives a year, ethnic conflict, corruption, hunger and deprivation, street kids, dilapidated schools and hospitals, lower life expectancy, political turmoil and socio-economic meltdown which has condemned many to squalor and poverty.
A research article on the provision of special needs education in Zimbabwe.This paper is informed... more A research article on the provision of special needs education in Zimbabwe.This paper is informed by the view that by accepting the principles enunciated in the Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education, Zimbabwe opted for inclusion as its guiding philosophy in the provision of Special Needs Education. In the light of this, the paper further presents the situation of Special Needs Education as it has historically developed in Zimbabwe, noting that it was, and largely informed by the philosophy of integration. The argument is then made that there is need for conceptual clarity if integration and inclusion are not to be confused in the provision of Special Needs Education so that the focus should be on inclusive education for which Zimbabwe has opted. In other words, it is noted that while inclusion is the preferred concept, it appears that integration predominates the practice in Special Needs Education in Zimbabwe. This predominance largely emanates fro...
Re-thinking Postcolonial Education in Sub-Saharan Africa in the 21st Century
Education, in most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), is in crisis. It seems as though its pu... more Education, in most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), is in crisis. It seems as though its purpose is misdirected. The intention of postcolonial education in Africa should be to produce authentic individuals whose existence is not mimetic. Our argument in this chapter is that as long as SSA education is communicated in a foreign language and imbibes curricular that are rooted in Western epistemological paradigms, it will continue to be Eurocentric and fail to speak to munhu/umuntu.
The Journal of Pan-African Studies, 2016
Introduction The context in which the discourse on human rights education is proceeding in Africa... more Introduction The context in which the discourse on human rights education is proceeding in Africa is not conducive to the internalisation of human rights by African people. The discourse is largely mimetic and exterior, the reason being that the philosophies that inform it are alien to the African people (Cobbah, 1987:309) and deny the philosophies of those to whom the discourse is being proffered. At the same time the discourse on human rights education is supposedly liberative. It is our view that relevance and authenticity can only be achieved if the discourse on human rights education is done in the context of indigenous African philosophies which in the case of Zimbabwe is the philosophy of hunhu, defined (Samkange 1980) as humanness in the fullest and noblest sense; the attention one human being gives to another like kindness, courtesy, consideration and friendliness in the relationship between people; a code of behaviour; an attitude towards others and life, and thus a person...
A journal article critiquing whether Zimbabwean teachers are equipped to teach Human Rights Educa... more A journal article critiquing whether Zimbabwean teachers are equipped to teach Human Rights Education.
The late Kenyan philosopher, Henry Odera Oruka, identified six schools of thought on what African... more The late Kenyan philosopher, Henry Odera Oruka, identified six schools of thought on what African philosophy is or could be, namely, ethno-philosophy, philosophic sagacity, nationalistic-ideological philosophy, professional philosophy, hermeneutic philosophy, and artistic or literary philosophy. The first four are the generally well known and well explained schools of African philosophy. In this article, we seek to reflect on the implications of the four trends on education in Africa. This enterprise is informed by the conviction that philosophy of education, while it deals with some issues that are peculiar to education, can benefit immensely from other philosophical discourses. Consequently, African philosophy of education can derive substantial benefit from interaction with debates on African philosophy. Key words Trends in African philosophy, philosophy of education, Henry Odera Oruka
The imperative to foster democratic culture in new democracies necessitates reflections on those ... more The imperative to foster democratic culture in new democracies necessitates reflections on those practices within educational institutions that can militate against the development of democratic values. Indeed, Dewey regarded all genuine education to be education for democracy. Furthermore, streaming/ tracking continues to generate debate among educators all over the world. This makes it necessary to reflect on steaming/ tracking which seems to foster values that appear contrary to educational aims and the development of democratic practices and values. This article therefore, is a reflection on streaming/tracking based on the author‟s experiences as a secondary school student, a high school teacher as well as a teacher educator in Zimbabwe which experience may not be different to those of other teachers working in learning environment characterised by streaming/tracking. The discussion in this paper proceeds on the basis of research and experiences elsewhere as expressed in literat...
The purpose of this chapter is two-fold. Principally, it seeks to contribute towards the current ... more The purpose of this chapter is two-fold. Principally, it seeks to contribute towards the current conversations on re-thinking education in postcolonial Sub-Saharan African (SSA) spaces and in the post-2015 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This is premised on the exigency to ensure that education in SSA is relevant. Secondly, this chapter is anchored on unpacking the relevance or irrelevance of education problematic.
Zimbabwe Journal of Educational Research, 2009
Democracy has become a cherished ideal in Africa. Many countries in-Africa claim to be democratic... more Democracy has become a cherished ideal in Africa. Many countries in-Africa claim to be democratic with a number of them incorporating, the. word 'democratic' in their names. Liberation struggles were waged in the name of democracy, yet in terms of governance democracy appears to be the. one thing.that seems to elude Africa. Various happenings like genocide, ethnic cleansing; coups d'etats and other political disturbances are ample evidence of this failure to establish democratic governance in African states. It is in this context that it is argued in this paper that if Africa is to realise,the dream of attaining democracy, which its people have opted for, educational institutions must play their part by teaching the concept o f democracy.. However, the teaching o f democracy in schools requires that the whole community be involved through the establishment of democratic culture .in public institution if.it is to succeed. What the school teaches can only take root if it finds support within society. In other words, there is need for a holistic approach to democracy that results in democracy permeating.every aspect of life. Thus, the paper also discusses some of the ways in which democracy can be taught. The focus o f the paper is Africa, not because Africa is the only continent in the world that is struggling to realise the ideal o f democracy, but simply because o f the situatedness of the writer in Africa. Being rooted in Africa, one is compelled to reflect on how life in A frica' can be improved given the diversity of the citizens o f many African countries.
Journal of Contemporary Issues in Education, 2013
The paper examines the concept, strengths and shortcomings, role and implementation of the reconc... more The paper examines the concept, strengths and shortcomings, role and implementation of the reconciliation policy as Zimbabwe emerged from periods of conflict crisis soon after independence in the 1980s, and the current crisis in the 2000s and how the policy can be introduced in schools through ‘education for reconciliation’. The authors argue that education can be used to cultivate reconciliation and national healing in the evidently ‘wounded’ people of Zimbabwe who bear scars of colonial times and war, and the post-independence conflicts. Reconciliation through education for “diversity” and tolerance makes a compelling argument in so far as we understand how education shapes culture and cultivates values among a people. Education for reconciliation is perceived as a philosophy that promotes respect for human life and human dignity. The paper concludes that education is an instrument for the inculcation and promotion of the epistemic and ontological principles enshrined in the Afric...
African Journal on Conflict Resolution, 2013
The attainment of independence by Zimbabwe in 1980 was accompanied by great hope as Mugabe enunci... more The attainment of independence by Zimbabwe in 1980 was accompanied by great hope as Mugabe enunciated a policy of National Reconciliation. Zimbabwe, in its current state is a country that, more than in 1980, is in need of reconciliation, social integration and national healing. This need arises from the colonial and post-colonial experiences of dehumanisation and brutalisation of segments of the populace in Zimbabwe. It is the intention of this paper to interrogate the need for reconciliation, social integration and national healing in Zimbabwe as well as the challenges and possibilities. The paper traces the earlier attempts at reconciliation in Zimbabwe, the successes and the challenges and what led to the present situation of extreme polarisation in Zimbabwean society. The paper further provides an assessment of current attempts at reconciliation, integration and national healing. Furthermore, the paper discusses some conceptions of reconciliation and integration and what appear to be necessary conditions for the success of any attempts at reconciliation, social integration and national healing in Zimbabwe. * Dr Hapanyengwi-Chemhuru is a senior lecturer in philosophy of education at the University of Zimbabwe. He has been with the Department of Educational Foundations since 1995. Currently he is chairman of the department and Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Education. He is an author of a number of journal articles, chapters in books and a book on philosophy of education. His interest is in philosophy and its practical relevance to concrete historical experiences of Africa.
The paper examines the concept, strengths and shortcomings, role and implementation of the reconc... more The paper examines the concept, strengths and shortcomings, role and implementation of the reconciliation policy as Zimbabwe emerged from periods of conflict crisis soon after independence in the 1980s, and the current crisis in the 2000s and how the policy can be introduced in schools through „education for reconciliation‟. The authors argue that education can be used to cultivate reconciliation and national healing in the evidently „wounded‟ people of Zimbabwe who bear scars of colonial times and war, and the post-independence conflicts. Reconciliation through education for “diversity” and tolerance makes a compelling argument in so far as we understand how education shapes culture and cultivates values among a people. Education for reconciliation is perceived as a philosophy that promotes respect for human life and human dignity. The paper concludes that education is an instrument for the inculcation and promotion of the epistemic and ontological principles enshrined in the Afric...
Education and Development in Zimbabwe, 2011
With the imposition of neoliberal globalisation and Eurocentric education, there is a pressing ne... more With the imposition of neoliberal globalisation and Eurocentric education, there is a pressing need for Zimbabwe to ensure that it is open and inclusive, not only for the development of its economy, but to build a cohesive and stable society. Zimbabwe faces numerous challenges, probably more than any other postcolonial state has ever encountered. Some of these are the AIDS scourge that wipes out thousands of lives a year, ethnic conflict, corruption, hunger and deprivation, street kids, dilapidated schools and hospitals, lower life expectancy, political turmoil and socio-economic meltdown which has condemned many to squalor and poverty.
The Zimbabwean education system is currently grounded in a philosophy of education that is alien.... more The Zimbabwean education system is currently grounded in a philosophy of education that is alien. This means that the education that it offers to the majority of the people in Zimbabwe and the values that it inculcates are alien and cannot result in authentic existence. It is therefore essential to search for a philosophy that will bring relevance to the education system – an education system that emanates from the existential historical circumstances of the people. We argue that for the education system at any level to be relevant, it must have its foundations in the philosophy of hunhu. It is not being argued that the philosophy of hunhu be one of the philosophical foundations, but that it be the foundation of Zimbabwean education.
This work examines two theories on the role of missionaries in the provision of education to Afri... more This work examines two theories on the role of missionaries in the provision of education to Africans in Zimbabwe in the context of the philosophy of hunhu/ubuntu. The two theories are the theory of collaboration and the theory of benevolence. Beginning with the latter, proponents of the theory of benevolence argue that missionaries aimed at benefiting Africans when they came to Africa and provided education to Africans. On the other hand, proponents of the theory of collaboration maintain that missionary activities, including the provision of education to Africans, were part and parcel of a larger movement, the colonisation of Africa. So, largely, missionaries were collaborating with the colonial movement and supported it both overtly and covertly. It is then argued that missionary provision of education to Africans must be understood in the context of the missionaries’ role in supporting the colonial venture. Using the historico – inductive as well as the comparative approache...
Uploads
Papers by Oswell Hapanyengwi