Livelihood Activities in Post-Independent Africa: A Closer Look at the Impact of Chikorokoza Illegal Mining on the Education System in Zimbabwe

After the country gained its freedom, one of the most prominent methods of making a living in Zimbabwe was a practice known as chikorokoza, which is an indigenous term for gold panning. The purpose of the study was to evaluate how chikorokoza has an impact on the educational system in the mining town of Kwekwe. In the current body of research, a pragmatic approach that triangulated data gathering and analysis was chosen as the method of choice. The purpose of this was to determine the actual experiences that stakeholders have had concerning how artisanal miners make their living. Personal interviews were carried out in person and included the use of both structured and semi-structured questionnaires. These types of questions were posed to respondents. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences was utilized to carry out the statistical analysis. Content analysis was utilized to conduct the study of qualitative data. The findings of the study pointed to rampant violence among artisanal miners, who are also known as maShurugwi, as well as an increase in school dropouts, teenage pregnancies, teachers boycotting lessons in pursuit of gold-panning activities, and the proliferation of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The findings of this study indicate that chikorokoza has had a detrimental effect on the educational progress made in the Kwekwe district. According to the findings of the study, the Zimbabwean government should take severe action to put a stop to chikorokoza in the country.