Challenges faced by Zimbabwean high school history teachers in teaching history for global citizenship education

Abstract

Using a qualitative case study approach grounded in transformative learning theory, this article gathers data from interviews, observations and document analysis with Zimbabwean high school history teachers. The findings show that history teachers face numerous challenges when teaching history for global citizenship education, including curricular tensions, sensitive topics, limited resources, syllabus overload and examination pressure. Consequently, teachers tend to avoid certain topics, especially those related to global citizenship education, as they see them as sensitive and fear victimisation and labelling as regime change agents. The article recommends that the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education in Zimbabwe, along with other relevant ministries and countries in similar contexts, implement a binding instrument for granting schools full autonomy and protecting teachers when discussing syllabus content. This article offers valuable insights and advances scholarship on the challenges of implementing global citizenship education, proposing solutions to promote its wider adoption worldwide.