Health education promotion for sustainable learning in Zimbabwean rural ecologies=Ukukhuthazwa kwemfundo yezempilakahle ukuze kufundwe okusimeme emaphandleni aseZimbabwe.

Abstract

Given the exponential growth of both communicable and non-communicable diseases in developing countries, Zimbabwean learners need to be health conscious, to develop positive behaviours, to desist from health threatening activities and to be health literate. This can be achieved through health education programmes in both rural and urban ecologies. This study explored health education for sustainable learning in Zimbabwean rural ecologies. Health challenges among learners in rural learning ecologies and rural communities can be addressed through health education. Working within the constructivist paradigm, an eclectic framework that combined two theoretical lenses, namely, the Asset-Based Approach and the Health Belief Model, were employed to understand and espouse the need for sustainable health education in rural communities. The Health Belief Model posits that, for an individual to change their behaviour, they must feel threatened and believe that a specific change will be beneficial. For its part, the Asset-Based Approach empowers individuals and communities to address health issues and challenges by utilising available resources (human, physical and social capital in their communities, including health education-based resources like talents, skills and knowledge). It addresses problems in a positive manner by identifying, mobilising and managing the identified assets. Purposive selection was utilised to select two teachers, a nurse, six learners, six parents and a headman. Data were generated using written narratives, narrative interviews and narrative reflections and were analysed using the narrative analysis approach. The participants narrated their experiences of how health education is accessed and promoted, as well as the challenges faced in implementing health education strategies to enhance sustainable learning in Zimbabwean rural learning ecologies. All ethical requirements were adhered to including anonymity and confidentiality. The study found that the Zimbabwean health sector is experiencing a plethora of challenges with the brain drain of skilled, experienced and competent health professionals compromising sustainable learning. The findings confirm the dire need for health education coupled with collaboration between the Ministries of Health and Education, and rural learning communities. Acute shortages of learning resources and infrastructural challenges were identified as obstacles to the promotion of health literacy and education. Based on these findings, the study proposes that Zimbabwe’s health sector should be fully capacitated.

IQOQA

Ngenxa yokukhula ngesivinini kwezinhlobonhlobo zezigulo ezithathelanayo nezingathathelani emazweni asafufusa, abafundi baseZimbabwe bayadinga ukufundiswa ngezempilo, bakhuliseke ngendlela efanele, babe nokuziphatha okuhle. Lokhu kungafezeka uma kuba nezinhlelo ngezempilo ezindaweni zasemkhaya nasemadolobheni. Lolu cwaningo luhlole imfundo ngezempilo ngenhloso yokumilisa izinhlelo zokufunda ngezempilo emiphakathini yaseZimbabwe. Izinselelo zezempilo kubafundi baseZimbabwe ezindaweni zasemakhaya nasemadolobheni zingalungiswa ngokuthi bafundiswe ngezempilo nokunikwa amasu okuthatha izinqumo eziqotho zezempilo. Kusetshenziswe ipharadaymu yeconstructivist, kwaba wuhlaka lwe-eclectic oluye lwahlanganisa izinjulalwazi ezimbili i-Asset-Based Approach kanye neHealth Belief Model, ukuze kuqondakale izidingo eziqotho zokufunda ngezempilo ezindaweni zasemakhaya. Imodeli yeHealth Belief iqhakambisa ukuthi, ukuze kube noshintsho ekuziphatheni komuntu, kumele kube nokwesaba bese eba nenkolelo yokuthi ushintsho luzoba nomvuzo. Uhlelo lwe-Asset-Based Approach luyabathuthukisa abantu nemiphakathi ekubhekaneni nezimo zezempilo kanye nezinselelo ngokusebenzisa izinsiza ezisuke zikhona (abantu, isiqu kanye namandla omphakathi, kanye nezinsiza zezempilo njengethalente, amakhono nolwazi). Kubhekana nezinkinga ngendlela efanele ngokuqagula, ngokuhlanganisa nokulawulwa kwezinsiza. Ababambiqhaza abangama-16 baqokwe ngenhloso ukuze bafeze izinhloso zocwaningo. Imininingo yocwaningo iqoqwe kusetshenziswa umlando oqoshiwe, izingxoxomlando kanye nomlandokuninga yase ihlaziywa kusetshenziswa inarrative analysis approach. Ababambiqhaza balandisile ngokukakadebona wabo ukuthi imfundo ngezempilo itholakala kanjani nokuthi ikhuthazwa kanjani kanjalo nezinselelo ababhekana nazo ukufezekisa izinhlelo zokufunda ngezempilo zokuthuthukisa imfundo ezindaweni zasemakhaya eZimbabwe. Zonke izidingo zenkambiso elungileyo zilandeliwe. Ucwaningo luthole ukuthi umkhakha wezempilo eZimbabwe ubhekene nenqwaba yezinselelo ngenxa yokufuduka kwalabo abanamakhono beya kwamanye amazwe. Okutholakele kufakazele isidingo esinqala semfundo ngezempilo okumele kuhambisane nokubambisana koMnyango wezempilo nowezemfundo, nokufunda kwemiphakathi yasemakhaya. Ngenxa yokushoda kwezinsiza zokufunda nezingqalasizinda izinselelo yizo ezivimba ukufunda ngezezempilo. Kususelwa kulokhu okutholakele, ucwaningo luphakamisa ukuthi umkhakha wezempilo eZimbabwe mawuthuthukiswe.