In highlighting the ‘strong state’ features of the classical developmental state (DS), civil society’s role for the realisation of developmental outcomes is often under-represented if not entirely side-lined in the DS literature within Zimbabwe during the Mugabe era. Given the renewed interest in the rising notion of democratic developmental states (DDS), civil society as an integral part of democracy must have some significance for aspirational developmental trajectory in the “new” Zimbabwe under Mnangagwa. This research presents an analysis of the role of civil society in the Zimbabwean developmental state project and discourse. It identifies strengths and challenges that faces Civil Society Organizations (CSO) in Zimbabwe with regards to its contribution towards the realisation of the democratic developmental state. The paper recommends partnerships between government and CSOs to develop and thrive towards a viable developmental state. To do this, it is necessary to institute specific channels and mechanisms to facilitate constructive dialogue on programmes and policies. Concrete opportunities must be created to facilitate the programs of CSOs and ensure the meaningful participation of the populace in government development programs in Zimbabwe in the new dispensation.

This article highlights how in-service professional development of teachers can promote classroom practices in Nigerian secondary schools. The article identifies how quality education can be sustained or attained through relevant, very objective, well-structured and regular IPD activities. It is believed that enhanced classroom instructional delivery of teachers may result in better academic performance for the learners. In-service professional development (IPD) is significantly important to quality education; it provides teachers with relevant, current and effective knowledge, skills, values and attitudes that can promote teaching and learning in school system. Regular, appropriate, varied, well-designed, purposeful, relevant and learner-centered professional development structures are therefore recommended for every school teacher. A Learner-Centered Professional Development Model (LIPD) for effective IPD of teachers was also designed for enhanced classroom instructional delivery. It is believed that this model will enhance teachers’ in-service professional development for functional, productive and result oriented teaching and learning in schools.

Women empowerment and increasing political participation in governance over the decades, across the universe have suffered setbacks. However, Nigeria as a nation cannot be exempted and poor empowerment and participation of Nigerian women in governance, according to experts over the years, has hindered national development. The continued discrimination of women, albeit subtle and covert, requires attention to enable women to reach their full potential in Nigeria. This paper examines the struggle for gender equality in Nigeria. The paper analyses gender equality through the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) framework to which Nigeria has made a voluntary commitment. Women empowerment and participation in politics and their direct impact in good governance is core to the debate of this paper. The study deploys qualitative methodology, bringing out the relationship between gender equality and development in Nigeria with MDGs as a veritable instrument. The paper concludes that women’s participation in politics through affirmative action will strengthen democracy sustainably

The emergent popularity of shopping centres within communities has improved the economic landscape and has also led to fascinated increasing calls for community development initiatives from landlords. This study explored how community development and relationships through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)ies initiatives are established between landlords and communities. The study iwas based on the premise that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives are mandatory forby shopping centre landlords. Furthermore, the study focused on what initiatives assisted in achieving sustainable development which have resulted in the improvement of the lives of people living in the local communities. In this regard, the Relational Theory and Transactional Model were used to develop a framework for shopping centre landlords to embrace CSR as a tool for community development. The practical implications of this study show that the framework proposed for this study can maintain relationships that exist between landlords, tenants and community residents to foster CSR initiatives implementation for community development.

The role of individual women in influencing the course of national or international events and history is either downplayed while their involvement leads to questions of whether they rose on the shoulders of strong men. However, history has had influential women who changed the flow of events in highly visible ways. Using the lenses of Marie-Antoinette, the French Queen, who is alleged to have had an influence on the course of events of the 1789 French Revolution, this paper discusses the influence of Grace Mugabe, the former Zimbabwean First Lady, on the politics and history of ZANU PF and Zimbabwe leading to a soft military coup, which ZANU PF beneficiaries and the military view as a revolution under the banner of ‘Operation Restore Legacy’. The paper argues that the entrance of Grace Mugabe into ZANU PF politics had a huge impact which also, for the time she was around, transformed the male chauvinistic culture of ZANU since its creations in the 1960s. Her actions in ZANU PF and Zimbabwean politics highly influenced the intervention of the military to push Robert Mugabe, the then Zimbabwean President, to resign. The paper attempts to make the analysis through a double barrelled lens of broad feminism and the concept of politics of personalities in influencing history. However, the paper does not attempt to place an argument on feminism hence it does not go deep into making theoretical frameworks. The analysis was based on a strong analysis of both primary and secondary materials as well as informal interactions with academic colleagues who are from and resident in Zimbabwe with some who experienced the political transformations since Grace Mugabe joined active politics.

This exploratory study followed a qualitative phenomenological design. It explored the influence of home factors on the academic performance of at-risk learners in South Africa’s Limpopo Province. The authors used secondary data from a parent study that sought to determine how dysfunctional families hamper effective learning in primary schools in South Africa’s Limpopo Province. Though participants in the parent study included both learners and teachers, this paper reports on findings from ten purposively identified learners from two primary schools in the rural area of Ga Modjadji. Polkinghorne’s (1995) analysis of narratives was used to reformulate data from participants using both Bronfenbrenner’s (2005) ecological theory and Maslow’s (1943) theory of human motivation as paradigmatic lenses. This study concludes that the academic performance of at-risk learners is influenced by multiple factors within their micro- and meso-systems. The home circumstances of at-risk learners appear to be detrimental to meaningful learning. Family dysfunction has a significant negative effect on the performance of learners and, ultimately, on the well-being of children. This study recommends that the Department of Basic Education should sensitise parents to the need for, and importance of, support, as well as provide education interventions for at-risk learners. The department should also provide rehabilitative programmes so that at-risk learners may improve in their performance. Finally, the Department of Social Development should make every effort to ensure that the affected learners have stable care and adequate social support.