Catholic schools and implementation of policies in educating our future 1996 document: a case of three selected catholic schools in Lusaka province, Zambia.
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Date
2021
Authors
Mulenga, Mathews
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The University of Zambia
Abstract
This study aimed at finding out why Catholic schools fail to implement government policies in education. This research was guided by O'Byrne and Keane Catholic theory of Absolutism and Consistency. Three Catholic schools in Lusaka Province were purposively selected and participated in this study. The objectives of the study were to: find out why Catholic Schools remained with the primary and secondary school system, and establish the differences in policy implementation between Catholic and Government-run schools. The study sample consisted of 47 participants comprising three head teachers and their deputies, and 41 teachers. Using a case study design and employing the qualitative approach, the researcher employed focus group discussions, face to face interviews, and questionnaires were used as the main tools for data collection. The study revealed that the Catholics main interest was to impart spiritual awareness, morality and academic values as opposed to secular education offered by the government which only emphasises academics. Thus the Catholic Church is committed to the catholic theory of absolutism and consistency. The Catholics are guided by this theory developed by O’Byrne and Keane which compels them to catholic conscience. The theory applied to educational institutions holds that all institutions belonging to the Catholic Church including schools receive the doctrine from the Church which they implement absolutely. The Catholics after noting that secular schools run by Government throughout the world have realised that public schools preach moral uprightness without attaching it to religion. This is responsible for such learners to exhibit a lack of discipline. The Catholics hold too that most secular or public schools are utterly alien to Christianity and the Church.
The study recommended that government should consult the stakeholders on the provision of education as this would bring about uniformity in the discharge of policies. The study also recommended that scraping off Grade seven exams is not a good idea as such a move does not effectively equip primary learners for basic and secondary education.
Key words: Catholic schools, policy implementation, secular schools, spiritual awareness, morality
Description
Thesis
Keywords
Catholic Church--Education--Zambia. , Catholic schools--Zambia.