Barriers to heritage-based education policy implementation in rural Zimbabwe: insights from Masvingo Cath-olic secondary schools

Abstract

This study examines the barriers to effective implementation of Heritage-Based Education (HBE) policy in rural Zimbabwe, with particular focus on Catholic secondary schools in Masvingo Province. Heritage-Based Education was introduced to align the education system with Zimbabwe’s cultural values, indigenous knowledge systems, national identity, and socio-economic development goals. Despite its significance, the implementation of the policy in many rural schools has faced numerous challenges that limit its effectiveness and intended outcomes. The study explores the experiences and perceptions of school administrators, teachers, and learners regarding the practical application of HBE within Catholic secondary schools. The study is guided by Sen ‘s Capability approach and supported by Nussbaum’s Central capabilities. A qualitative case study approach was employed to gather in-depth insights from six catholic secondary selected in Masvingo Province. Purposive sampling was used to gain in-depth understanding of the phenomena and snowball sampling was used to reach difficult research participants such as schools inspectors and Responsible Authorities of the schools. Data was collected through interviews, focus group discussions, and document analysis. The data was analyzed using thematic analysis to understand the meaning of the data and emerging patterns.  The findings reveal that inadequate teaching and learning resources, limited teacher training and professional development, insufficient funding, and lack of policy clarity are major barriers to effective implementation. The study also found that tensions between heritage-based curricular expectations and the religious orientation of Catholic schools create challenges in integrating certain aspects of indigenous knowledge and cultural practices. Furthermore, poor infrastructure, limited access to technology, and the rural context of schools hinder the adoption of innovative teaching methods that support heritage-based learning. The absence of consistent monitoring and evaluation mechanisms was identified as a significant obstacle. The study concludes that while stakeholders acknowledge the importance of Heritage-Based Education in promoting cultural identity and national development, successful implementation requires stronger institutional support and contextual adaptation. It recommends increased government funding, continuous teacher capacity-building programmes, provision of relevant educational resources, and enhanced collaboration among policymakers, church authorities, school leaders, and local communities. Addressing these challenges would strengthen the implementation of Heritage-Based Education and improve its contribution to culturally responsive and sustainable education in rural Zimbabwe. The study contributes to ongoing discussions on educational policy implementation in developing contexts and offers practical insights for enhancing heritage-based learning in faith-based rural schools.