BOOK CHAPTER: DIGITALISATION OF EDUCATION IN ZIMBABWE: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

ABSTRACT: The digital transformation of education is reshaping how teaching and learning take place across the globe. In Zimbabwe, there is growing momentum to integrate Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) into the educational fabric, driven by global technological innovation, the Education 5.0 philosophy, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This chapter explores the opportunities and challenges that accompany the digital shift in Zimbabwe’s education system. Using a qualitative desktop research approach, supported by an extensive literature review and policy analysis, it examines how digital technologies are transforming teaching, learning, administration, research, and access to education. The chapter highlights opportunities such as increased access to education, flexible learning options, improved teaching methods, innovation, the cultivation of digital skills, and enhanced research capabilities. It also reveals significant challenges, including inadequate ICT infrastructure, high internet costs, unreliable electricity, digital inequality, limited digital literacy, and weak policy enforcement. In conclusion, while digitalisation offers considerable potential to enhance educational quality and inclusivity in Zimbabwe, realising this potential will require sustained investment in infrastructure, teacher training, policy alignment, and strategies for digital inclusion. The chapter offers recommendations for policymakers, educational leaders, and practitioners seeking to drive inclusive and sustainable digital transformation in Zimbabwean education.

KEYWORDS: Digitalisation, Education, ICT, E-learning, Education 5.0, Zimbabwe, Online Learning, Digital Divide.