Investigation of Democratic Practices in School Governance in Selected Secondary Schools in Lusaka District,Zambia
Date
2016
Authors
Moonga, Sepoh
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Zambia
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to find out if there were democratic practices in secondary
school governance following the introduction of Civic Education as a subject in the sampled
secondary schools. The study sampled head teachers, teachers and pupils’ experiences of
democracy and their participation in relation to everyday school life. The study assessed
democratic practices as exhibited by school management and administration, determined
democratic structures present and operating in secondary schools and examined the
flexibility of school management and administration in creating an enabling environment for
stakeholders’ participation in secondary school governance. The research was conducted in
Lusaka district Zambia. This was a qualitative study that used interviews and focus group
discussion, and employed a descriptive survey study research design. Six secondary schools
were randomly selected. Using purposive sampling techniques, 6 head teachers were
purposively sampled from the selected schools for interviews, 18 teachers and 36 pupils
from the 6 schools were sampled for focus group discussions.
The study revealed that democratic practices in the management and administration of
secondary schools in Zambia existed. The study further revealed that various stakeholders
participated in making decisions concerning school governance. The democratic structures
and practices that were found in the schools included; staff meetings, PTA committee
meetings, Management Board meetings, Prefects body and class monitors. Teachers and
pupils agreed that since the introduction of Civic Education in their school, stakeholder
participation improved. The study, however, also revealed that some stakeholders believed
that there was room for improvement in participation of pupils and teachers in school
governance. Where participation was low, it was mainly attributed to individual school
managers, factors such as lower academic qualification of the head teacher compared to
qualifications of teachers.
The study recommends clear policies from Ministry of General Education to reinforce
increased pupil and teacher participation in school governance. The other recommendation
was that the Ministry of General Education should monitor the existence and functioning of
democratic structures in schools.
The Ministry of General Education and its cooperating partners should aid and encourage
further studies on democratic governance in schools. Studies on how democratic governance
could be integrated in the curriculum at primary school level and the possibility of making
the head teacher position elective could greatly enhance democratic governance in
secondary schools.
Description
Master of Education in Civic Education
Keywords
Educational change--Zambia , School management and organization--Lusaka District