Case for development of minimum gender responsive curriculum development standards for Zimbabwe’s higher education institutions (HEIs)

Abstract

The quality of teaching across all levels of education has a significant impact on academic access, retention and performance of male and female students and is essential to achieving sustainable development. The quality of teaching includes an investment in developing standard guidelines as well as lecturer training and support. A three-year long study of Zimbabwean Universities with an in-depth case study of Women’s University in Africa established that there are no Minimum Gender Responsive Curriculum Development Standards and yet lecturers in Universities in Zimbabwe do not all undergo a structured training programme on pedagogy. Given the need for accelerated efforts not only for women and girls’ access, but also their retention and progression through University education, there is renewed interest in addressing systemic issues affecting retention and progression, through investments in quality teaching and learning. This policy brief therefore seeks to contribute to greater fulfilling learning experiences and educational impacts for male and female University students through proposing gender responsive pedagogy in all Universities in Zimbabwe.