Viewpoint: Towards an IK-SCIE integrative model, A theoretical reflection on the agricultural college curriculum in Zimbabwe

Abstract

Investment in agricultural training in Zimbabwe occurs against a backdrop of scarce resources. Therefore, an insight into the suitability and quality of the curriculum in agricultural colleges will benefit students, their communities and the nation at large. The curriculum is a key determinant of the quality of agricultural training. Researchers have argued that the curriculum in the agricultural colleges is largely based on the scientific knowledge system, representing the western worldview. Furthermore, this curriculum neither recognises the variations among the people with regard to their knowledge of agricultural practices, nor does it consider the different worldviews that students bring into the classrooms. Relevance in agriculture, like in any science subject, encourages students to participate in classroom processes more deeply, learning in their own ways and bringing together their ideas, interests and experiences. The incorporation of cultural practices into learning also facilitates environmental sustainability. This study explores several curriculum models to explore these claims and suggests an integrative indigenous knowledge–science (IK-SCIE) model that can be used in crafting a curriculum relevant for the contextual setting of Zimbabwe. Based on this theoretical reflection, it is recommended that if indigenous knowledge is integrated in the agricultural curriculum, more research on indigenous practices would be promoted, leading to acceptance, documentation and the possible integration of these indigenous practices, hence making them accessible to a larger readership.