Pushing and shoving: Tales of contestation at selected satellite schools in Zimbabwe

Abstract

Satellite schools are a relatively new phenomenon within the context of education in Zimbabwe. At the turn of the century, Zimbabwe dominated media headlines because of the land reform. The land reform in Zimbabwe involved the transfer of land from the minority white commercial farmers to the landless majority black citizens. Resultantly, the land reform created a demand for schools in the former commercial farms that led to the establishment of satellite schools. The researchers drew from the Social Identity Theory of leadership to unpack these contestations faced by administrators at the selected satellite schools. Data for this study were generated using conversational interviews that were triangulated with focus group discussions. The researchers made use of mini-focus group discussions. A purposive sample of six mother school heads and six satellite school heads was selected for this study. The researchers utilised thematic analysis to analyse data from the conversational interviews and focus group discussions. The study established that there were contestations between the mother school heads and the acting heads of the satellite schools. Further contestations were evident between the satellite school acting heads and the traditional leadership. Additionally, there were contestations amongst political parties for influence at satellite schools. The researchers contend that some of the sources of the contestations at the selected satellite schools were attributable to the social identities of the acting heads of the satellite schools. From the study findings, the researchers recommend the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education must adopt a clearer organisational structure concerning the supervision of satellite schools.