Decentralization and quality education in selected community schools in Mufulira and Kitwe districts on the Copper-belt province of Zambia.
Date
2021
Authors
Yumba, Dominic
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The University of Zambia
Abstract
The study set out to investigate Decentralisation and Quality Education in Community
schools in Mufulira and Kitwe Districts using Right-Based Approach to education; and
School-Family-Community Partnership Model by Joyce Epstein. A descriptive survey
approach was used in this research and the sample comprised of 45 community schools
drawn from Mufulira and Kitwe districts, 45 head teachers, 100 teachers, 45 Parents
Community School Community Committee, two DEBS (Mufulira and Kitwe), three
officials from Non-Governmental Organisations, namely Zambia Open Community
Schools, the Flemish Association for Development Cooperation and Technical
Assistance, and United States Aid Time To Learn project. The total sample was 195
participants. The statistical package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was engaged to analyze
quantitative data. Data were collected through questionnaires, interview guides, focused
group discussions, observations and document analysis of literature and institutional
records. The findings of the study showed that there were three types of curriculum used
in community schools namely, the Zambian curriculum of 2000, the skills, participation,
Access to Relevant Knowledge curriculum of 1996, and the Revised Curriculum of
2013. The majority of the teachers, that is 89 percent, indicated that they used revised
curriculum of 2013. An examination of the Grade 7 results from community school
examination centres, for the period 2014 to 2017, showed that the performance of pupils
between those in the studied school and the government schools were similar. The
findings showed that resource mobilisation in community schools was a big challenge
because community schools were non-profit making organisations. Resources were
mobilised mainly from the following: school fees; donations from cooperating partners
especially the United States Agency for International Development and The Flemish
Association for Development Cooperation and Technical Assistance; community
contributions; school fundraising ventures and the government. The structure for
resource mobilisation and utilisation was the Parents Community School committees.
Community schools were monitored and evaluated by Resource Coordinators and senior
teachers of nearby schools. Out of 45 schools, the District Education Standards Officers
monitored only twelve schools. The study showed that community schools enjoyed
some opportunities in the training of teachers in form of short pedagogical courses
organised by NGOs and cooperating partners through the government. This study found
out that community school pupils enjoyed the flexibility offered by these schools in
terms of payment of schools fees, and school uniform policy. Administrative challenges
the schools faced were inadequate finances, inadequate infrastructure and learning and
teaching materials, and lack of trained teachers. In conclusion, community schools are
organized and managed by Parents Community School Committees thereby affording
the school managers an opportunity to innovate on activities responsive to their needs.
Monitoring of community schools though crucial to ensuring quality education was
carried out by non-monitoring and evaluation specialists.
Description
Thesis
Keywords
Quality of education--Community schools--Zambia. , Schools--Decentralization--Zambia.