This qualitative study explores the impact of screen time on the cognitive development of Early Childhood Development (ECD) learners in rural primary schools in Honde Valley, Mutare District of Zimbabwe. Guided by an interpretivist philosophy, the study gathered data from 60 participants identified as key informants. Data collection methods included interviews, focus group discussions, and observations, with thematic analysis used to identify patterns across the datasets. Findings reveal a varied picture, influenced by content quality, access limitations, and socioeconomic factors. Structured exposure to educational digital content showed cognitive benefits, such as improved numeracy, increased curiosity, critical thinking, and verbal engagement, even amid scarcity. However, unregulated recreational screen time, especially involving violent cartoons, was consistently associated with avoidance of educational tasks and aggressive behavioral mimicry. The study also highlights widespread device scarcity, leading to shared use primarily for passive entertainment rather than interactive learning, both at home and in under-resourced schools. Parental mediation varied, often emphasizing economic concerns (data costs) and behavioral control over educational potential. The study concludes that screen time is neither inherently beneficial nor harmful in the ECD context of Honde Valley. Its effects are largely influenced by content purpose and quality, access type, supervision, and broader issues of poverty and digital inequality. To unlock the full potential of screen time for cognitive development, context-specific policies, infrastructure development, teacher training, offline-enabled devices, and community collaboration are essential to move from passive consumption toward equitable, educational engagement use.
