Inclusion of traditional medicine in the school curriculum in Zimbabwe: a case study

Abstract

This study was carried out in Marondera District, Mashonaland East Province, Zimbabwe in 2009 and 2010 to evaluate the state of traditional medicine in the area and document views of people on whether traditional medicine could be taught at schools. Data was collected from traditional healers, medical doctors, nurses, pharmacists, A-level chemistry students, their teachers, their headmasters & heads of science departments, parents, chiefs, religious leaders, and other influential people in the district. Instruments included questionnaires, interviews, documents and observations. The state of traditional medicine was comparable to that of any other area in the country. Participants agreed to inclusion of traditional medicine in the school curricula but differed on the modalities of teaching the subject. Most traditional healers preferred to have traditional medicine taught as a separate subject whilst most members of each of the other groups of participants thought the subject would most profitably taught as part of existing science subjects. Traditional healers felt that inclusion in existing subjects would pollute their values. The other groups thought the subject would enrich science subjects for example chemistry and the mainstream medical knowledge. 

Keywords

• Chemistry,herbal medicines,primary health care,purposive sampling,school curriculum,traditional healers

References

1. Best JW, Khan JV. (1993) Research into education (7th ed). London: Allyn and Bacon.