The development of special education services

massive expansion of the education system. Two decades later, the country’s literacy rate had risen to one of the highest in sub-Saharan Africa. However, the same cannot be said for special education. This paper examines the development of the education system in Zimbabwe with special attention given to the history of special education. This paper examines why special education has lagged behind in terms of its development in a country where the education system has developed so rapidly. Zimbabwe is a landlocked Southern African country, which borders on South Africa, Zambia, Mozambique and Botswana. Zimbabwe is a young country having obtained independence from Great Britain in 1980. Prior to gaining independence, the county’s educational system could best be described as a dual system of education. Under this system, the blacks were largely educated through the efforts of individuals, churches, and missionaries who felt a moral obligation to help. This background suffices to mention that there were no formal special education services to speak of. Whatever special schools were built during the colonial era were designed for white students only. Blacks could not afford them. It would be unfair, though, to solely blame the colonial syste