This study examined teachers' perceptions of the assessment structure on the 0'level History Syllabus 2167 examination in Zimbabwe. A descriptive survey approach in which 30 History teachers from 15 Zaka District secondary schools responded to a questionnaire was used. Quantitative and qualitative paradigms of data presentation were both useful in this project. Findings from the study revealed that assessment and teaching History are two sides of the same coin but dropping the Source Based Question to an option was considered to be throwing away the baby with bath water. Most teachers are no longer teaching Source Based Questions and critical higher order skills are no longer developed in History students. The essay question with its tri-segmented structure gives prominence to factual regurgitation. This study led to the conclusion that the removal of the Source Based Question from the compulsory status has prevented History students from developing genuine higher order skills in Zimbabwe. It is recommended therefore that syllabus 2166 be revisited with an aim of merging it with syllabus 2167 in order to resuscitate the development of higher order skills of analysis ,inference and evaluation among History students.

This article examines the nexus of autonomy and instructional leadership in school clusters in Zimbabwe. Using the Better Schools Programme of Zimbabwe cluster, teachers and school heads were interviewed on their perspectives on how autonomy influences instructional leadership practices. Results established that clusters provide schools with the freedom to determine the activities deemed necessary to improve student learning. However, although autonomy is prescribed in the policy, inadequate resources provided to schools render them less autonomous and ineffective in this endeavor. The article argues for a more deliberate and deeper discourse about the challenges of balancing autonomy and control.

This study examines the reliability and utility of Chakaipa and Zvarevashe's old world novels; Pfumo Reropa and Gonawapotera respectively as historical novels. The novels were examined with the view to making an academic interrogation of how chieftainship, law courts and polygamy institutions which formed the soul of the Shona people's culture in pre-colonial Zimbabwe are portrayed. An afro-centric analysis of the disparity between novels and other researches was done and it revealed a glaring distortion of the Shona people's culture in pre-colonial Zimbabwe. The study therefore, argues that Pfumo Reropa and Gonawapotera are far from pleasing when it comes to their historicity, authenticity of psycho-social thought and philosophy of the Shona people on the practices of chieftainship, law courts and polygamy. The article maintains that not all novels that are regarded as historical are really historical. There is therefore, need to be critical about the novels that are selected for use in Zimbabwean schools so that children are exposed to quality literature that helps them to appreciate that the Shona people had a systematic and elaborate system of role relationship, conflict resolution, social, economic and political control from which lessons can be taken to build confidence in our cultural heritage.