Purpose: The study aimed at finding out the extent to which Early Childhood Development (ECD) trainee teachers perceive the feasibility and challenges of online learning platforms and generate strategies for effective implementation. Approach/Methodology/Design: A case study design for which fifteen ECD trainee teachers from two Higher Learning Institutions in Harare were purposively selected in this qualitative study through online structured questionnaires and telephone interviews expressed in English. Data gathered was expanded in thick rich descriptions to form themes. Findings: Innumerable benefits of e-learning were established. E-learning facilitates the continuation of learning, motivates, improves student-to-student interaction, is a convenient way of submitting assignments, reduces commutation and material costs and is an easy way of storing documents. However various setbacks were elucidated. Erratic power cuts and internet failures, exorbitant costs of data bundles and lack of smart devices deter the full embracing of e-learning. Practical Implications: Zimbabwean HLIs have adjusted to the new normal and embraced online learning to ensure the continuation of learning in the midst of the pandemic. Online learning overcomes educational obstacles and students will not only follow courses using the traditional method. Originality/value: The findings suggest trainee teachers require the provision of cheap data bundles, free internet applications and extension of due dates. The use of blended approach/hybrid learning to assist those in remote communities, training workshops and seminars on effective use of e-learning platforms were deemed essential.

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The study investigated on effectiveness of inclusivity in the teaching and learning of technical subjects in high schools of Mashonaland East Province in Zimbabwe. A descriptive survey research design was adopted while the questionnaire and the interview guide were used to receive data for the study.  Analysis was done using descriptive statistics in terms of mean scores. Based on the findings, the study concluded that the inclusion of learners with low vision in the teaching of technical subjects in the main stream was not effectively conducted as most teachers were not trained to handle learners with special educational needs such as the visually impaired at colleges or universities. Specialist teachers did not get time to professionally develop their colleagues and hence subject teachers remained ineffective and incompetent. It is therefore recommended that school authorities should periodically initiate staff development programs for subject teachers on how to effectively help learners with low vision in the respective schools. Technical teachers’ colleges in the country should include Special Needs Education (SNE) courses for student teachers to effectively discharge their duties in the classroom. High schools managers in the province should ensure that learners with low vision get adequate time per week for assistance and remediation.

Early childhood development programmes have been found to be crucial in the development of children in physical, cognitive, socio-emotional and linguistic domains. For early childhood development (ECD) programmes to be effective, several factors need to be considered, among them human and material resources. Although the availability of the aforementioned factors is of the utmost importance, there is also a need to establish the unforeseen factors that can help ECD programmes to be more effective. Currently, there is little information regarding what can facilitate proficiency among early childhood teachers in their daily practice. This study focused on the impact of incentives on the performance of early childhood development teachers in the Lubombo region in Eswatini, formerly Swaziland. The objectives of the study were to find out the types of incentives given to ECD teachers, to examine the factors affecting the ECD teachers’ incentives and proficiency, and to explore the best ways of incentivising ECD teachers to improve their effectiveness. The research questions guiding the study were derived from the research objectives and the approach used in the study was purely qualitative. The study adopted a case study design and used unstructured questionnaires, cell phone interviews and focus group discussions as data collection tools. The research was confined to Lubombo, where a sample of 30 participants was selected. The sample included 10 ECD teachers, 10 parents and 10 administrators. The findings of the study were that ECD teachers are paid low salaries, which are not sustainable, and they are not hired by the government and so have no pensionable benefits. The study recommends that the use of incentives can improve the proficiency of early childhood teachers; ECD teachers should be paid salaries like any other teacher that are scaled according to their qualifications. Scholarships to further their studies should also be made available to them. More research is essential in areas of teachers’ proficiency and quality early childhood development programmes.

The purpose of this study was to establish parents’ perceptions of the involvement of males as early childhood development (ECD) teachers. The research adopted a qualitative approach and used a case study design to allow interaction with the subjects and to draw conclusions based on their diverse perceptions. A sample was drawn from the Khami District population that comprised 10 parents, four administrators, four female teachers and two male teachers. Two sampling techniques, namely convenience and purposive sampling, were used. Convenience sampling allowed the researcher to select a small sample where participants were chosen on the basis of being accessible and convenient. Only parents with children taught by male teachers were purposively sampled. Ethical considerations were observed during data collection by explaining to participants that participation was voluntary, with confidentiality guaranteed. Online questionnaires, telephone interviews and virtual focus group discussions were used to collect data, making it easy to maintain social distancing during the Covid-19 lockdown. The following are some of the major findings of this study: parents have mixed perceptions about the involvement of males as ECD teachers; female teachers and school administrators have more positive perceptions about the involvement of males as ECD teachers because they are viewed as qualified for their job. However, in spite of the positive perceptions established about male teachers, some factors such as gender and societal inclinations still cause parents to have fears about the involvement of males as ECD teachers. The study recommends that more male teachers should be recruited to balance gender representation and more workshops and refresher courses for both parents and teachers should be conducted to develop trust.