Sustainable Professional Development of Primary School Mathematics Teachers in Zimbabwe Through Philosophy of Education 5.0: Challenges and Prospects

Teacher training colleges and universities in Zimbabwe currently fall under the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development (MHTESTD) whose mission is to develop and deliver a knowledgeable and skilled human capital through higher and tertiary Education 5.0, science and technology development using a heritage based philosophy, for the production of quality goods and services. The core values of the Ministry are integrity, humility, innovation and productivity. The philosophy of Education 5.0 system is centred on five pillars which include teaching, research, community service, innovation and industrialisation while the previous 3.0 design was centred on three aspects which are teaching, research and community service. Thus, teachers who are being trained at Zimbabwe’s colleges and universities will be required to acquire skills and knowledge to produce goods, services and ideas and also to impart such knowledge and skills to their learners. The mathematics curriculum inclusive of the syllabi, schemes of work and timetables at a teacher training institution in the Midlands Province of Zimbabwe was critically analysed. Two randomly selected lectures in progress were observed and five purposively chosen lecturers interviewed. The study addresses the questions of whether and to what extent Education 5.0 is being realised, the challenges currently being faced and the future prospects of the philosophy. The paper concludes by giving recommendations for sustainable professional development of primary school mathematics teachers in Zimbabwe.