Towards Quality Education in Tertiary Institutions: The Case for Communication Skills Learning and Teaching in Zimbabwe’s Teacher Education Colleges

John Mutambwa, Prosper Takavar

Abstract

The paper outlines the need for meeting Quality Assurance benchmarks in education based on the contribution that Communication Skills can make in Teacher Training colleges in Zimbabwe. The importance of Communication Skills as art of quality control in education is examined through a study of nine Teacher Training colleges with data gathered through interviews of lecturers and students. The teaching of the course is optional, subject to availability of suitable personnel and there are no course outlines for the course in colleges the writers visited. The department of teacher education at the University of Zimbabwe has not approved course outlines for Communication Skills as they have done with other courses taught at teacher training colleges, an indicator of the department’s lack of commitment to the course. Poor Communication Skills on the part of student teachers perpetuates mediocrity at the expense of quality education in schools. Academic and Professional Communication Skills should be taught separately as they are skills-based courses.