Secondary school science departments' use of examinations council of Zambia examiners' reports in Solwezi district
Date
2017
Authors
Mulawo, Clement
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Abstract
Performance in science subjects in North-western Province has been persistently poor for the last
decade or so. This study sought to investigate secondary school science departments’ use of the
Examinations Council of Zambia examiners’ reports in Solwezi district. The study also intended
to find out science teachers’ pedagogical skills in the light of poor performance in science
subjects in Solwezi district.
The study employed a mixed method of both qualitative and quantitative techniques of data
collection. The study sample consisted of 89 subjects drawn from seven secondary schools.
Qualitative data was generated from observing ten science lessons and interviewing 13science
teachers, five science heads of department and three standards officers who were the key
informants for the study. Furthermore, Grade 12ECZ science results documents for the last five
years were reviewed. Qualitative data sets were analyzed through coding of emerging themes.
The quantitative data, on the other hand, were collected by using questionnaires and these were
distributed to five school administrators, five guidance and counseling teachers, five heads of
department and 42 science teachers. Quantitative data sets were analyzed using the Statistical
Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to generate frequencies, graphs and other statistics. Both
data sets from qualitative and quantitative methods supported answers to research questions.
Results of the study revealed a number of concerns the first of which was related to the non-use
of the ECZ science examiners’ reports in secondary schools to understand sources of poor
learner performance in science. The second factor was related to lack of variations of teaching
strategies that teachers apply during science lessons. Lastly, the study revealed that there was
rampant systemic failure.
Henceforth, the study recommended that urgent improvements in the system of educational
delivery, including effective use of ECZ examiners’ reports in Solwezi district. In the same vein,
the study recommended that schools must increase CPD meetings to improve the teachers’
pedagogical skills.
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Academic performance--Science--Zambia , Science--Study and teaching--Zambia