Teaching Shona Culture in Secondary Schools: A Case for Masvingo Urban Schools in Zimbabwe

IntroductionThe teaching and learning of Arts and Culture education has been introduced in Zimbabwean secondary schools as a compulsory programme to curd indiscipline and moral decay, but there are concerns that, schools may not be taking it seriously. The assertion is based on that immoral behavior has been on the rise in schools despite the inception of the programme in 2010 (Magwa and Ngara, 2014; Manguvo, Whitney and Chareka, 2011; Thondhlana, 2014). Secondly, the Arts and Culture education was launched in schools during the time when education and culture were under one Ministry; Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture and currently the two fall under different offices, hence, this can launch problems in coordination of activities. Thirdly, Arts and Culture education was introduced to schools through circulars, it has no syllabus and is not examinable. Hence, it is on this pretext that the current study examines the extent to which secondary schools in Masvingo urban have been able to impart culture to pupils.This work was carried out in the urban schools where Zimbabwean pupils have been in contact with foreign cultures resulting in culture assimilation. The introduction of foreign values has captured their attention to an extent that they now regard their own culture as backward or oldfashioned (Mawere, 2014). To produce socially acceptable graduates, Muropa et al (2013); Mavhunga, Moyo and Chinyani (2012) advocate for the teaching of unhu (culture) education. The emphasis on the preservation and teaching of culture has been made by Mubaya and Mawere (2014, p. 180) who propound that cultural heritage should be "guarded strongly against any possible forms of threat and destruction so that it can be handed down to progeny untainted". These authors concur with Nziramasanga Commission's (1999) recommendation that culture be infused in the school curriculum.As a result, the National Cultural Policy of Zimbabwe (2007) endorsed the school as the key stakeholder in the promotion of culture. The implementation plan was disseminated to schools through Circular 28 of 2010 on the Institutionalisation of the Arts and Culture in Zimbabwe, Circular 29 of 2010 on Exhibitions and Festivals and Circular 3 of 2011 specifying The Arts and Culture Inter-House Competitions in Schools. These curriculum innovations then marked the country's desire to provide a holistic education that incorporates spiritual, cultural and moral values (Vision 2020:20). However, in a related research conducted in Bindura, Kasowe (2014) shows that culture education is not taken seriously in secondary schools due to scarcity of both material and human resources. Whilst she discusses the implementation of culture education, she restricts her study to the different factors that affect the teaching of culture. However, this examination goes a step further to examine the extent to which schools have been able to inculcate culture in pupils. Ndhlovu (2014) carried out a similar study in Matabeleland South rural secondary schools and found that although most schools acknowledge that the programme should be implemented according to the Ministry specifications, there is tendency amongst schools to give attention to it towards competitions.This investigation focuses on urban secondary schools therefore, assumes that the way culture is taught in rural and in urban schools can be different. Hence, the need to examine the extent to which urban secondary schools as public institutions have been able to enhance the development, accessibility and enjoyment of culture among their school children who seem to be out of touch with their own culture.The ways used to impart culture in urban secondary schools and their contribution towards the inculcation of culture were assessed in a dispensation where the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education in collaboration with the Ministry of Arts and Culture has made concerted efforts in encouraging arts and cultural activities in schools. …