John Locke is one of the philosophers of the enlightenment period who applies the principles of

scientific investigation to man, politics, education and society in general. He emphasises the use of
reason in understanding human phenomina. However this write up is going to examine John Locke's
major ideas and show the extend to which they hat influenced the Zimbabwean education system. The
key words Zimbabwean educational system and John Locke are going to be defined.

According to Chikuni (2003), Zimbabwean educational system is an area of public administration

responsible for the definition of all levels, curricular, infrastructure, construction and compose all the
levels of education. Gwarinda (2006) says Zimbabwean educational system is a central frame for public
schooling starting from elementary education going beyond. Therefore Zimbabwean educational
system is a system or an organization which makes sure everyone has right to good education.

According to Woolhouse (2009), John Locke's major ideas are the most important thoughts that he
brings forward such as advocating for the use of environment when learning. Connolly (2014), also views
John Locke's major ideas as the concepts of primary points that expresses in his work that have had an
influence in educational system. Therefore John Locke's major ideas are the main components of his
ideas to the educational system.

According to Venter, Theron and Van Zyl (1982), John Locke does not believe in the doctrine of innate
ideas. For him the mind of the child is like a blank slate or a sheet of paper and also he said that a child is
tabular rasa, meaning the child cannot be said to have a sinful nature as it is born with an empty mind.
However this can contributed to our educational system today because learning comes through
experiencing the physical world. This means that children starts learning at the age of ECD level till they
reach the secondary level and from that each level has its lessons that the children have to learn. Again
the aim of education is to produce a person who lives a life guided by a reason. The lesson which ECD
learners is being taught is not the same as the lesson which they taught at secondary level this can be
contributes much to the Zimbabwean educational today.

According to Polansky (2007:453),Locke emphasises discovery learning. This means that learners learn
through discovering. The aim of discovery education is to produce a person who lives a life guided by a
reason. He regards discovery education as a process of learning from and a process for life. This means
that discovery education should be a process of preparing the learner for living in the world as he/ she
experiences it. Again discovery education is very important to the learner because they learn what they
see and discover so that there is big room for them to understand what they learnt because they
experiences what they discover to a greater extend. The lesson which learners learn through doing so
that they can understand that concerpt so much so that they cannot forget it again and again. This can
influence to our education today because even the born child is being taught to say mother and father
and also he/she can see them and never forget them.

According to Barker (1986:44), Locke regards education as being both process of learning from and a
process of learning for real life. Therefore education should be a process of preparing the learner for
living in the world as he experiences it. This means that, in training, the child has to be dressed in scant
and loose clothes. He has to sleep on hard bed and in the open. The child has to savive on a simple diet.
This way his body would be hardened and becomes strong. And also this child can grow knowing all
situation that a person can be reached. And this can built a physically strong person because he/she
understand life so that they can grow up being spoiled by their parents. The child need to know what is
life and also what they believe. This can influence to our education system today because learners who
comes from rural areas can walk long distance from their home to school but they come up with good
results since they understanding the situation.

Locke also emphasises that a complete education recommend traveling wide experience of the social
world, learning a trade and tution by a private tutor. He believed tution by a private teacher. This
teacher must be from a welup family, must be experiences, well read, learned, vituors, modest, ective
and capable. This means that this tutor needs to have mercy on learners even they are not good in the
school work. This influence to our education system because in the schools which we are teaching,
learners are said to corporal punishment and also no to speak harshly. If a teacher commits this to
learners this can lead to loose a job. Teachers needs to be role model for learners to emulate.

According to Locke (1894) , learners needs to be taught in a very good manner, do not lecture to them
but discuss to them ,let them give their own views,the lesson should be child centered. This means that
the learners must be the main actors in the teaching and learning process. The teacher must use familiar
words in communication so that communication will be productive. Teachers must teach from known to
unknown ,so that learners must understand well. This means that learners needs to learn from simple to
complex and this influenced to the Zimbabwean educational system. The idea of teaching learners from
simple to complex is very crucial to learners because they can understand better as learners are able to
understand the concept well from what they are being taught by teachers.

Ardamson (1922:93), also emphasises on the environment where learners are being survived. He
emphasised that it is the only way that is stimulating the young on the path of knowledge, that the
children are sheltered from passing through life as dull and useless creatures. This means that the
environment which learners grew up shape a child and the idea of the learners. The child munipulate
the environment, also the child needs to use the concrete media. In the teaching and learning so that
the child use senses to acquire knowledge also learners needs to learning by doing which is hands on
approach. This helps learners to understand the concept so much so that this opened the doors to
scientific revolution.

However, even John Locke's major ideas influenced to the Zimbabwean education system,there is some
criticism on his ideas in education. That is John Locke has also been criticised for having focused on the
education of the elite for and ignoring the other classes of people. This means that the private tutor
which he emphasised needs money and what about the poor,they don't have money to hire a private
tutor to teach their children. Again it is edged that children are not born with the empty minds as Locke
would have us believe and again the mind of the learner is not like wa x that can be moulded and fashioi
as one pleasei. Learners needs to know some other things which they are not being taught.

In conclusion, it is to a greater extend that John Locke's ideas have influence to the Zimbabwean
education system because if we realized the introduction of ECD in Zimbabwe, it was introduced
because of the born of a child being "tabularasa" because they are born empty minded so that teachers
needs to teach them from simple to complex, the use of senses,use of variet media to use their senses
and also the use of discovery learning was also Influenced to the Zimbabwean education system.

REFERENCES

Barker, R.E.(1986). Philosophies of Education: An introduction course. Harare: College Press.

Chikuni, B.(2003). The teacher's handbook: A practical approach to teaching. Gwanda: Flame Publishers.

Connolly, P. J. (2014). Locke. New York: Rutledge.

Gwarinda, T.C. (2016). The practice of teaching. Harare: College Press.

Venter, T. L. ,Theron, A.M. and Van Zyl, A.C. (1982). Education themes in time perspective: Durban.
Butterworths.

Woolhouse, T.C. (2009). Locke. A Biography. Cambridge. University Press.