The study sought to investigate curriculum issues, teaching and learning for sustainable development in secondary schools in Zimbabwe. Education for sustainable development (ESD) aims at changing the approach to education by integrating principles, values, practices and needs in all forms of learning. Literature has documented the importance of problem solving, ecologically relevant education, project based and interactive education as the basis for sustainable development. Emphasis has also been placed upon the pedagogical and curriculum issues in support of sustainable teaching and learning in developing countries. The methodology employed included literature search, documentary analysis, questionnaires, interviews and observation. The study was based on two urban and two rural secondary schools. The results revealed that some schools followed a seriously integrated curriculum where academic work was integrated with industry based education or learning, while others followed a purely academic curriculum. Results showed that pursuing an academic curriculum led to relevant careers though unemployment was high due to the lack of skills. The high rate of employment of those pursuing integrated curriculum appeared to be a motivator. The study concluded that an integrated curriculum and education was more beneficial for sustainable development and entrepreneurship. Further research is required on the curriculum and strategies for education/industry integration for sustainable development and challenges schools face in trying to implement ESD.

Low academic achievement and the need to search for factors influencing performance, explanations such as poor teacher quality, resources, low level of teacher motivation and commitment, poor supervision, discipline, political interference, lack of parental support have been advanced. Little if any attention has been given to personality factors such as self-concept. Previous research has demonstrated a positive and significant correlation between emotional selfconcept and academic achievement and that of emotional self-concept and school type, location and type of attendance. It was the objective of this study to investigate the possible contribution of moderator variables-gender, age, grade/form, and school location type, type of attendance to learner academic achievement in secondary schools. In particular the study sought to find out the extent to which the moderator variables contributed to differences in learner emotional selfconcepts and academic achievement in secondary schools. Quantitative and qualitative methodologies were used for the study involving 1281 high and low performers in secondary schools. Results showed that age, school type and type of attendance accounted for significant differences in both academic achievement and emotional self-concepts. School location and grade/form contributed to difference in emotional self-concepts only while gender accounted for no differences at all. The study concluded that the current practice by some parents to send their children to boarding schools and transfer from one school to the other better school was wise and beneficial for the academic and emotional welfare of their children. Instilling better attitudes towards school work at an earlier age was likely to have long term benefits for the child's education. Gender accounted for no differences in either emotional self-concepts or academic achievement. Further research is required in different subjects and overall with a larger sample in different locations.

Literature has documented the value of collaboration in open distance education and training due to the challenges facing nations brought about by globalization, increased career changes by workers in their life time, expansion ofMultinational Companies globally and technological changes. TVET has also been recognized as an effective process by which quality, up-to-date information literate and knowledgeable workers can be prepared, trained and retrained worldwide. TVET has been singled out as an avenue for the acquisition of practical skills and knowledge related to occupations in various sectors. Review of literature has detailed the advantages of integration and the challenges. Corporate bodies, as consumers of trained staff in search of increased productivity, individuals on their part are becoming increasingly aware of the potential of TVET to improve their employment prospects and future income, and governments have recognized the key role TVET plays in economic success. Thus, users, buyers and policy makers see open and distance learning (ODL) as a realistic way of extending TVET to a much wider public at least cost. The aim of the study was to review literature to find out opportunities, challenges, and factors and to make recommendations for the collaboration and integration of academic and TVET through ODL and industry. Document analysis was the method used to carry out the study. Relevant databases were searched for relevant information regarding collaboration and integration of academic and TVET through ODL and industry. Results indicated that collaboration and integration of academic and TVET through ODL and industry received support from users and buyers. This was because of the economic, social, political advantages derived from such an approach. Different models for implementation were suggested acknowledging the challenges associated with the strategy at country and regional levels. Success however, needed a supportive policy framework. Collaboration and integration were regarded as key to achieving strategic goals; namely, achieving equitable access to education for all the people, improve quality of education, efficient and effective management of resources. ODL and flexible learning were seen as fulfilling core values of accessibility, equity and inclusiveness in which education provision is planned and delivered with the needs and circumstances of learners in mind because lifelong education, personal development and skills development were regarded as basic human rights. SADC on its part has established a solid foundation for collaboration and integration through its Hwange Declaration of 2012. There was however, a need for pilot projects in every country before regional collaboration and integration could be implemented. The review recommended that integration be implemented at different levels of education using a variety of models for high schools, colleges and tertiary institutions. More research is required through field studies in education institutions and industry to establish the bes...

Concern has been expressed over the employability and inept demonstration of skills at work by TVET graduates. This has led to questions about the reasons for the negative outcomes. A combination of observations, discussions in comparative studies led to scrutiny of the training of TVET school leavers. The study sought to discover strategies that can be employed to enhance the quality of outcomes and employability of college leavers. This was a qualitative study in which data collection from 35 trainees was done using observation reports of teacher trainees. Results have shown that employment of CBET may enhance skills development due to the element of industrial attachment where trainees will work under experienced and knowledgeable mentors as trainee teachers do. The model used for teacher training was recommended for other TVET sectors to enable the participation of industry in the training of future personnel within their environment. Trainees expressed satisfaction with the use of CBET because it exposed them to both natural working environment and mentoring by experienced and knowledgeable experts. The training arrangement enhanced their skills and knowledge in preparation for the world of work on completion. CBET was therefore an alternative training method which can be extended to industry from teaching.

The subject of low academic achievement appears to gain centre stage. Literature has documented the importance placed by society on high academic achievement. Various reasons have been advanced for the causes of low academic achievement. The list is endless. The study sought to investigate the relationship between school location, type and type of attendance and self-concept and academic achievement. Pearson's Correlation Coefficient was used to compute the results of a 1281 sample of secondary school learners in different school types and of varying academic ability. Results showed that there was a positive and significant correlation between school type, location and type of attendance with self-concept and academic achievement. The study concluded that school location and type were important considerations whenever placing a child. Furthermore boarding schools appeared to have significant advantages in terms of academic achievement and self-concept development. Further research was needed to uncover the characteristics and practices of schools that yielded positive results for children.