Bridging the Digital Divide: A Case Study of Virtual Mentoring in Zimbabwean Rural Secondary Schools

Bridging the Digital Divide: A Case Study of Virtual Mentoring in Zimbabwean Rural Secondary Schools

Rosemary Madzore & Themba Ralph Mkhize

Issue: Vol. 6 No. 12 2025 Article 4 pp. 1286 – 1298
DOI : https://doi.org/10.38159/jelt.20256124 | Published online 29th December, 2025.
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

105 Downloads

DOWNLOAD PDF

ABSTRACT

This study examines the role of virtual mentoring in addressing digital inequalities and enhancing teacher retention among secondary school educators in rural Zimbabwe. As virtual mentoring increasingly emerges as a cost-effective model for ongoing professional development worldwide, its significance in geographically isolated regions—characterised by limited transport, infrastructure, and digital access—grows more pronounced. Employing a qualitative case study design, data were gathered through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions with 15 teachers and five school leaders purposefully selected from three rural districts, and documentary analysis of policy documents and official reports related to ICT and education. This triangulated approach enhanced the credibility and depth of the findings. Thematic analysis identified four key themes: the importance of policy and institutional support for digital transformation, existing infrastructure and connectivity gaps, gender-based digital exclusion, and the potential of virtual mentoring to facilitate professional growth. The findings indicate that while national policies have encouraged digital inclusion through initiatives such as STEM and Education 5.0, considerable barriers remain in rural implementation, especially concerning electricity, internet access, and gender disparities. Nonetheless, participants regarded virtual mentoring as a practical and empowering tool for teacher development. The study advocates for ongoing investment in rural ICT infrastructure, inclusive digital literacy training, and the expansion of virtual mentoring platforms to promote equitable access and support for teachers. These findings contribute to broader discussions on digital equity, educational resilience, and innovation in under-resourced contexts.

Keywords: Virtual Mentoring, Teacher Retention, Rural Schools, Digital Inclusion, Documentary Analysis, Education 5.0

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Adeyemi, Jesutofunmi O, and Samuel Oni. “Realising Sustainable Development Goal 4 in Nigeria: The Challenge of Digital Divide.” Covenant University Journal of Politics & International Affairs (Special Edition), 2021.

Al-kasasbeh, Mohammed Mufaddy, Ghassan Issa Alomari, Fakhri Abudl Kareem Bani Doumi, and Haitham M Alzoubi. “The Impact of E-Learning on Students’ Performance: The Mediating Role of Sustainable Education.”Management & Sustainability: An Arab Review 4,no.3(2025):495–513.

Anwar, Kaspul, Juraidah Musa, Sallimah Salleh, Masitah Shahrill, and Roslinawati Roslan. “Bridging the Digital Divide in Higher Education: Notes from the Emergence of the COVID-19 Pandemic.” In From Digital Divide to Digital Inclusion, 95–121. Springer, 2023.

Barbour, Michael K, and Charles B Hodges. “Preparing Teachers to Teach Online: A Critical Issue for Teacher Education.” Journal of Technology and Teacher Education 32, no. 1 (2024): 5–27.

Bati, Tesfaye Bayu, and Anteneh Wasyhun Workneh. “Evaluating Integrated Use of Information Technologies in Secondary Schools of Ethiopia Using design‐reality Gap Analysis: A School‐level Study.” The Electronic Journal Of Information Systems In Developing Countries 87, no. 1 (January 29, 2021). https://doi.org/10.1002/isd2.12148.

BBC News. “Over 1,000 Rural Schools Have Computer Labs under the Smart Zimbabwe Plan.” Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation., April 30, 2023.

Braun, Virginia, and Victoria Clarke. “Using Thematic Analysis in Psychology.” Qualitative Research in Psychology 3, no. 2 (2006): 77–101.

Briscoe, Patricia. “Virtual Mentor Partnerships between Practising and Preservice Teachers.” International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education 8, no. 4 (November 21, 2019): 235–54. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMCE-02-2019-0023.

Buabeng-Andoh, Charles. “ICT Implementation and Practices: Factors Influencing Students’ Pedagogical Use of ICT in Ghanaian Secondary Schools.” International Journal of Information and Communication Technology Education (IJICTE) 11, no. 2 (2015): 1–13.

Chirawu, Danai Daisy. “ A Decolonial African Feminist to Women’s Political Participation in Zimbabwe.” UiT Norges Aarktiske Universitet, 2023.

Clifford, Gomba. “Transforming Rural Secondary Schools in Zimbabwe through Technology: Lived Experiences of Student Computer Users.” International Online Journal of Education and Teaching 3, no. 2 (2016).

Coleman, Victoria. “Digital Divide in UK Education during COVID-19 Pandemic: Literature Review. Research Report.” Cambridge Assessment, 2021.

Coman, Claudiu, Laurențiu Gabriel Țîru, Luiza Meseșan-Schmitz, Carmen Stanciu, and Maria Cristina Bularca. “Online Teaching and Learning in Higher Education during the Coronavirus Pandemic: Students’ Perspective.” Sustainability 12, no. 24 (December 11, 2020): 10367. https://doi.org/10.3390/su122410367.

Croese, Sylvia. “Introduction: Africa’s Urban Challenge.” In Reframing the Urban Challenge in Africa, 1–17. Routledge, 2020.

Digital Watch. “Zimbabwe’s National ICT Policy (2022–2027): Overview and Strategic Goals.” https://digitalwatch.giplatform.org/policies/zimbabwe-national-ict-policy, 2022.

FAO. “FAO and Zimbabwe Launch Rural Digital Innovation Hubs. Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations,” 2023. https://www.fao.org/newsroom/detail/fao-and-zimbabwe-launch-rural-digital-innovation-hubs/en.

Greenberg, Jacob A., Erin Schwarz, John Paige, Jonathan Dort, and Sharon Bachman. “At-Home Hands-on Surgical Training during COVID19: Proof of Concept Using a Virtual Telementoring Platform.” Surgical Endoscopy 35, no. 5 (May 6, 2021): 1963–69. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-021-08470-6.

Greer, A. “Exploring the Role of Mentorship Programs in Novice Teacher Retention: Experiences and Strategies of Secondary School Principals in Central Alabama (Doctoral Dissertation, Alabama State University).” http://iojet.org/index.php/IOJET/article/view/112/128, 2025.

Handal, Boris, Kevin Watson, Peter Petocz, and Margaret Maher. “Choosing to Teach in Rural and Remote Schools: The Zone of Free Movement.” Education Research and Perspectives 45 (2018): 1–32.

Ifijeh, Goodluck, Juliana Iwu-James, and Oyeronke Adebayo. “Digital Inclusion and Sustainable Development in Nigeria: The Role of Libraries.” In 3rd International Conference on African Development Issues (CU-ICADI). Covenant University Ota, Nigeria, 2016.

Kormos, Erik, and Kendra Wisdom. “Rural Schools and the Digital Divide: Technology in the Learning Experience.” Theory & Practice in Rural Education 11, no. 1 (2021): 25–39.

Kwok, David, and Silin Yang. “Evaluating the Intention to Use ICT Collaborative Tools in a Social Constructivist Environment.” International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education 14, no. 1 (2017): 32.

Liu, Ji. “Bridging Digital Divide amidst Educational Change for Socially Inclusive Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Sage Open 11, no. 4 (2021): 21582440211060810.

Lythreatis, Sophie, Sanjay Kumar Singh, and Abdul-Nasser El-Kassar. “The Digital Divide: A Review and Future Research Agenda.” Technological Forecasting and Social Change 175 (February 2022): 121359. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2021.121359.

Mangena, A. “An Assessment of Factors Contributing to a Digital Divide in Mainstreaming E-Learning in Higher Education: A Selected Case of a University in Bulawayo Province, Zimbabwe.” Journal of Modern Education Review, 2022.

Moyo, S. “The Impact of ICT Infrastructure on Rural Education: A Case Study of Zimbabwe.” Zimbabwe Journal of Educational Research, 2016.

Mpamombe, A. “Bridging the Digital Divide: Zimbabwe’s Efforts to Enhance Educational Access in Rural Schools.” Harare Post, 2024. https://www.hararepost.co.zw/en/theopinion/9359-bridging-the-digital-divide-zimbabwe-s-efforts-to-enhance-educational-access-in-rural-schools.

Musingafi, Maxwell C C, and Shupikai Zebron. “The Role of Information and Communication Technology in Rural Socio-Economic Development in Africa.” Int. J. Publ. Pol. Admin. Res 1, no. 2 (2014): 38–46.

Mutsaka, F., and T. Mupfumira. “Computerisation of Rural Schools in Zimbabwe: Policy Implementation Analysis. .” Zimbabwean Educational Review 32, no. 3 (2020): 45–61.

Nimodiya, Aditi Rajesh, and Shruti Sunil Ajankar. “ICT in Rural Development: Application and Challenges-A Review.” International Journal of Scientific Research in Science and Technology 8, no. 6 (2021): 464–72.

Olanrewaju, Gideon Seun, Seun Bunmi Adebayo, Abiodun Yetunde Omotosho, and Charles Falajiki Olajide. “Left behind? The Effects of Digital Gaps on e-Learning in Rural Secondary Schools and Remote Communities across Nigeria during the COVID19 Pandemic.” International Journal of Educational Research Open 2 (2021): 100092. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedro.2021.100092.

Owen, Hazel D. “Making the Most of Mobility: Virtual Mentoring and Education Practitioner Professional Development.” Research in Learning Technology 23 (2015).

Pauletto, Christian. “Addressing the Digital Divide in Online Education: Lessons to Be Drawn from Online Negotiation.” In The International Research & Innovation Forum, 395–403. Springer, 2022.

Prajaknate, Pornpun. “Information Communication Technologies (ICT) for Education Projects in ASEAN: Can We Close the Digital Divide?,” 107–33, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-2815-1_6.

Riley, Elise D, Elizabeth Chur, Monica Gandhi, Jonathan D Fuchs, John A Sauceda, Lauren A Sterling, and Mallory O Johnson. “Lessons for Expanding Virtual Mentoring in Academic Medical Institutions: A Qualitative Study among Senior Mentors.” BMC Medical Education 24 (2024). https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:272143146.

Singh, Jitendra, Erica Evans, Amber Reed, Lisa Karch, Karen Qualey, Lovely Singh, and Hannah Wiersma. “Online, Hybrid, and Face-to-Face Learning Through the Eyes of Faculty, Students, Administrators, and Instructional Designers: Lessons Learned and Directions for the Post-Vaccine and Post-Pandemic/COVID-19 World.” Journal of Educational Technology Systems 50, no. 3 (March 20, 2022): 301–26. https://doi.org/10.1177/00472395211063754.

Surendran, Shelini, Sam Hopkins, Arif Sabta Aji, Salisu Abubakar, Toni Clayton, Tharaka Dunuwila, Lyndsay Goss, Robert Hatch, Maria Aderuza Horst, and Kumari M Rathnayake. “Perspectives of Teaching during the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Comparison of Teaching in University Bioscience Programmes from around the World.” Research in Science & Technological Education 41, no. 3 (2023): 1133–54.

Thelma, Chanda C, Zohaib H Sain, Yusuf O Shogbesan, Edwin V Phiri, and Wisdom M Akpan. “Digital Literacy in Education: Preparing Students for the Future Workforce.” International Journal of Research 11, no. 8 (2024): 327–43.

Uma, R, K Ravichandran, S Sriram, and B Sakthivel. “Cost-Effective Fabrication of ZnO/g-C3N4 Composite Thin Films for Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity against Three Different Dyes (MB, MG and RhB).” Materials Chemistry and Physics 201 (2017): 147–55.

Zhang, Dayong, Min Hu, and Qiang Ji. “Financial Markets under the Global Pandemic of COVID-19.” Finance Research Letters 36 (2020): 101528.

Zhong, Zhi-Jin. “From Access to Usage: The Divide of Self-Reported Digital Skills among Adolescents.” Computers & Education 56, no. 3 (April 2011): 736–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2010.10.016.

ZimSentinel. “Digital Education Challenges in Buhera’s Rural Schools. .” https://zimsentinel.com/digital-education-challenges-in-buhera, July 11, 2023.

Zishiri, Christopher, Gladman Jekese, and Wonder Muchabaiwa. “Challenges in Implementing Education 5.0 in Higher Education in Zimbabwe: A Qualitative Analysis.” International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 2024. https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:272300211.

Zishiri, Christopher, and Leo Mataruka. “Innovation and Industrialisation through Assessment Reforms in Higher Education in Developing Countries: A Case Study of Zimbabwe.” Journal of African Education 5, no. 3 (2024): 225.

AUTHOR(S)

Dr. Rosemary Madzore is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Educational Foundations at the University of South Africa (UNISA). With over ten years of experience in higher education in Zimbabwe, she specializes in teacher education, mentorship, and educational leadership. Her research focuses on virtual mentoring in low-resource settings, aiming to leverage technology for teacher development and promote inclusive scholarship. Dr. Madzore also investigates Indigenous Knowledge Systems, emphasizing the integration of local perspectives into education. Passionate about enhancing leadership capacity, she draws on Ubuntu philosophy to foster transformative mentorship and support the decolonization of education. As an experienced educator and researcher, she promotes postgraduate research capacity-building and collaborates to advance contextually relevant scholarship across Africa.

Dr Themba Ralph Mkhize is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Educational Foundations at the University of South Africa. His research focuses on rurality, rural education, resource mobilization, and educational leadership and policy. Dr Mkhize holds a master’s degree in education from Michigan State University in the United States of America and a PhD in Education from the University of KwaZulu Natal in South Africa. Dr Mkhize has been the Chairperson of the Research and Innovation Committee at the University of South Africa, Department of Educational Foundations, since 2022.

TO CITE ARTICLE

Madzore, Rosemary, and Themba Ralph Mkhize. “Bridging the Digital Divide: A Case Study of Virtual Mentoring in Zimbabwean Rural Secondary Schools.” Journal of Education and Learning Technology 6, no. 12 (2025): 1263 – 1275. https://doi.org/10.38159/jelt.20256123.