Know your Authors in Family and Religious Studies: Wilson Zivave

By Brian Maregedze

The New Curriculum in Zimbabwe has seen students and teachers alike struggle to have access to teaching aids particularly reading material, thereby relying on internet sources. In a number of circumstances, the internet isn’t adequate to address the demands set out in the syllabus. This series of Know your authors has opened avenues for me to meet and engage with some of the authors whom I share the same interests, that is, interpreting the New Curriculum as an opportunity for academic entrepreneurship rather than an impediment to learning in Zimbabwe.

Wilson Zivave is the author of two books, namely, A Practical Approach to Family and Religious Studies Form 4 under Secondary Book Press in Harare. More interesting from the author is that the book is approved by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, an indicator of progress within the Family and Religious Studies (FRS) fraternity. An upcoming book from Zivave, co-authored text with Chivhenge E. and Mazuruse, M. is titled, Family and Religious studies: A dynamic guide to Indigenous religion at ‘A’ level under Booklove publishers in Gweru.
Wilson Zivave is an exceptional author and young rising scholar in Religious Studies with vast teaching experience of the subject currently based in Masvingo province in Zimbabwe. Zivave’s research interests include but not limited to Media and literature representations and religious practices, Curriculum Development and Technology, Old Testament and Contextual Concerns affecting Africa (for instance HIV-AIDS, gender, social justice and landlessness etc.) and also Old Testament prophecy (pre-classical and classical prophets).

The rising thought power, Zivave is currently pursuing his PhD Studies at the University of South Africa (UNISA), the same university he attended and graduated with a Masters of Arts in Religious Studies in 2018. Zivave worked his M.A in Religious Studies titled, Gender and Power: A Feminist Critique of Hosea’s Sexual Imaging in Hosea 1-3 And Its Implications for Contemporary Shona Women.
In Zimbabwe, Zivave attained his B.A General at the then Masvingo State University (2003-2005) and later on B. A Honours (Special) in Religious Studies at Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) in 2011.

Zivave has learning experiences from different universities and attained his Post Graduate Diploma at the Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) in 2016.  The 2016 research by Zivave is titled;  E-Learning Pedagogy: An Assessment Of The Effectiveness Of E-Learning In The Teaching And Learning Of Religious Studies At Rural Day Secondary School-A Case Of Ndawi Secondary School In Gutu.

The well experienced teacher, Zivave taught at Chikwanda High School (2006-2010) in Gutu, Masvingo province and now currently at Ndawi High School from 2010 to present. Some of his upcoming journal articles focus on examining, assessing and critically engaging with the Zimbabwe’s New Curriculum in Family and Religious Studies. For example, Indigenous Religion and the stability of Marriage Institution: A critical review of Indigenous ways of reducing divorce in Zimbabwe. Above all, Zivave is a husband to wife- Shoko Angela-Billiet.

*Brian Maregedze is an author, historian and columnist. He can be contacted at bmaregedze@gmail.com