Abstract:
This study examined the capacity building of mentors in the mentoring of trainee
teachers as a way of improving mentors’ practices. The study employed the
interpretive paradigm and used the qualitative approach and case study research
design. Purposive sampling was used to select 27 participants perceived as rich
informants. These participants included six mentors, 15 trainee teachers, five
college lecturers, two lecturers from the teaching practice office, three senior
lecturers in charge and one university lecturer who is a link person between the
college and the Department of Teacher Education at the University of Zimbabwe.
Data were obtained through face-to-face interviews, focus groups and document
analysis. It emerged from the study that mentors were not at all being trained to
become mentors, therefore, mentors needed to be trained before the mentorship
programme. The study revealed that most mentors depended on the knowledge
they attained from college when they were training as teachers and a few from
school staff development programmes. Thus, there was a gap in the capacity
building of mentors and mentor selection.
