Local stakeholders’ participation in the expansion of secondary school education in selected schools of Isoka District In Muchinga Province, Zambia

Abstract

The study aimed at establishing the local stakeholders‘ participation in the expansion of secondary school education. The study established local stakeholders‘ participation, types of support, benefits and challenges local stakeholders faced in expansion of secondary education. The study was supported by two theories, Theory X and Y of Mc Gregor (1960) and stakeholders‘ engagement theory. The study employed a qualitative approach based on the case study of three public secondary schools. Data were collected using in-depth Interviews, observations and focus group discussions. All local stakeholders were used as population with the sample of 40 participants. The Data were analysed using thematic analysis where emerging themes with similar attributes were categorised. The findings revealed that, local stakeholders like NGOs, FBOs, civic leaders, business community were not proactive in the expansion of secondary school education. Only parents of the children participated substantially and were supportive. Regards of benefits, the study revealed that, in all the 3 schools sampled many children accessed secondary school education, long distances covered by learners reduced while Pass rates and completion rates improved and early marriages reduced because secondary schools were up graded nearby. Challenges faced included poor infrastructure, poor water and sanitation and lack of menstrual facilities, inadequate computers, and few learners were sponsored, there was no access to electricity, there was inadequate laboratories, and there was no specialised rooms for some subjects. The study sought to investigate the participation of local stakeholders in the expansion of Secondary schools.The study recommends that, government and local stakeholders need to have an effective collaboration and be involved in the expansion of secondary school education. Key words: - Stakeholders, Participation, Expansions, and Secondary school education