Decolonisation of misguided mental frameworks on the relevance of vocational-technical education to African society

Abstract

The Zimbabwean society harbours misguided mental frameworks with regard to the teaching of 
vocational-technical curriculum in schools. The need to decolonise such thinking is imperative. 
Hence, the study is on the relevance of a decolonised curriculum that addresses unemployment 
needs in the Zimbabwean context. It focuses on secondary schools in Masvingo Province. This is 
a qualitative case study informed by the interpretivist paradigm. Purposive sampling was done to 
get information-rich cases. The study employed semi-structured interviews and focus group 
discussions to generate data. Data were analysed and presented thematically. It emerged, from the 
study, that schools are just consolidating foreign academic traditions. Therefore, in contrast to the 
demands of actual development, education continues to be unreformed, inadequate, disparaging, 
denigrating, and demeaning. It is essential that all students receive technical-vocational education 
to foster their mental growth and socialisation. Decolonised epistemologies are key to success for 
Africa.