Performance of Students at ‘0'Level Fashion and Fabrics: A Comparative Study of an Urban and Rural School in Masvingo Zimbabwe

Abstract

The study focused on students' performance in Fashion and Fabrics at ‘0' Level. The investigation was in form of a comparative study of an urban and rural school in Masvingo district Zimbabwe.  A qualitative case study of the two schools was conducted. The population comprised school heads, teachers, pupils and parents. Purposive and systematic random sampling was used to come up with respondents for the study. Interviews, observation and questionnaires were used to collect data. The data was presented, analyzed and discussed thematically. The findings indicated that the rural school was poorly resourced in terms of textbooks, materials and equipment. This probably contributed to poor performance of rural ‘0' Level candidates when compared to their urban counterparts. It was also established through the study that financing Fashion and Fabrics was a problem especially in the rural school. This resulted in delays in the acquisition of materials for course work garments. Time was found to be a limiting factor in the effective execution of practical work due to inadequate time allocated for the subject on the timetable. This resulted in challenges in completing coursework garments. The conclusion from the study was that the urban school performed better in Fashion and Fabrics at ‘0' Level compared to the rural school because it had better resources for teaching the subject. It was also concluded that the school administration in both settings did not provide adequate time on the timetable for practical work. The study recommended improvement of facilities for teaching and learning of Fashion and Fabrics especially in rural schools. The school administration should also provide adequate time on the timetable to accommodate practical work.