Feasibility of Unhu/Ubuntu in Research and Innovation Learning Area (RILA) in Pre-Service Teacher (PST) Training Programmes in Zimbabwe

Abstract

Supervisor-supervisee relationship in research projects in Research and Innovation Learning Area (RILA) is sometimes punctuated by animosity and blame game. Considering heritage aspect, teaching-learning is supposed to be based on Unhu/Ubuntu principles including the need to treat each other with respect and dignity irrespective of age. Unhu/Ubuntu has become popular as scholarly activities advocate for cultural resuscitation and decolonising ways we read, analyse and interpret African reality. Most scholars opt for an appraisal narrative of the concept as an educational philosophy. Scholarly attention is yet to examine feasibility of the philosophy in the Western tainted and globalised Pre-service Teacher Training (PST) purposes. Basing of social reconstruction theory, this article examines feasibility of Unhu/Ubuntu in context of supervisor-supervisee relationship in RILA for PST programmes at one Teacher Training Institution (TTI) in Harare in Zimbabwe. The research approach is based on inductive qualitative illuminative case study that conducted face-to-face and focus-group discussions with purposively sampled key informants: lecturers, PSTs and administrators using open-ended questions. Grounded theory was method of coding and analysing data. Findings reveal invisibility of Unhu/Ubuntu principles and hence argue for adoption of ‘transformative and emancipatory Unhu/Ubuntu rather than traditional version that was based on supervisors instilling fear on PSTs.