Power relations between teachers and head teachers: a case of selected secondary schools in Lusaka district, Zambia
Date
2020-09-20
Authors
Sompa, Maureen
Machila, Nisbert
Chibamba, Agnes Chileshe
Muleya, Gistered
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Multidisciplinary Journal of Language and Social Sciences Education
Abstract
The study sought to explore power relations between teachers
and head teachers and its implications on pedagogy on selected
secondary schools in Lusaka District, Zambia. The study draws
a theoretical framework from Michel Foucault’s notion of power
relations. The study employed a descriptive design through the
application of qualitative method. Data was collected from 5
secondary schools in Lusaka District. The sample comprised of 20
teachers and 5 head teachers, who were sampled purposively. Data
was gathered through interviews and documents and was analyzed
thematically by identifying patterns and themes within or across
the data. Frequencies and percentages were run to shed more light
on the responses from teachers and head teachers and this was
presented through the use of figures. The main findings of the study
revealed that the causes of power relations between head teachers
and teachers varied. Responses from head teachers included
absenteeism, late coming, teachers having a negative work culture
and not submitting teaching files on schedule. Teachers indicated
the following causes of power relations; teachers having higher
qualifications than the head teacher, incompetence on the part of
the head teacher, unsatisfactory class allocation, and favoritism.
Furthermore, the study revealed that power relations have a
negative implication on pedagogy such as teachers projecting
their frustration on learners, loss of morale on the part of the
learners which results in disliking a subject (s) of that particular
teacher. The findings of the study further indicated that teachers
and head teachers were able to manage their power differences
through various management strategies such as confrontation,avoidance, dialogue, maintaining government policy by giving
teachers copies of working conditions, charging the teacher,
mediation, communication and scolding the teacher. Despite
managing the power differences using several strategies, personal
grudges between teachers and head teacher still exist. In light of
the findings, the study recommends that both headteachers and
teachers should undertake a compulsory course on management
of power relations in the secondary school teacher preparation
programmes. It also recommends that headteachers should also be
encouraged to adopt a compromising style for conflict management.
Keywords: Power Relations, Conflict, Teachers, Headteachers,
Pedagogy, Lusaka
Description
Article
Keywords
Power relations , Pedagogy