A phenomenological examination of the experiences and perceptions of learners, teachers and other eductational stakeholders about the agricultural science curriculum in selected secondary schools of Lusaka district, Zambia.
| dc.contributor.author | Munsaka, Mulenga Muchindu | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-08-07T10:32:54Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-08-07T10:32:54Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025 | |
| dc.description | Thesis of Master of Education in Curriculum Studies | |
| dc.description.abstract | Among the most effective ways of helping citizens acquire knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes is through education. Policymakers and administrators must recognize that education is the most reliable path to the sustainable development of any nation. In Zambia, the national goal of diversifying the country’s economy from mining to agriculture has been a persistent objective for several decades. Despite this, the Agricultural Science curriculum at the secondary education level remains an optional subject and thus not widely taught. It is a known fact that agriculture is one of the main sources of livelihood for most people in Zambia especially for those in rural areas who produce most of the food that is also dependent on by the urban population. However, implementing Agricultural Science as an optional subject may likely lead to what is aimed at in the nation in terms of providing more skills in agriculture to many citizens and diversifying the economy remain in speeches and not in practice. It is for this reason that this study was a phenomenological examination of the experiences and perceptions of learners, teachers and other educational stakeholders about the Agricultural Science curriculum in selected secondary schools of Lusaka so as to understand how national aims are being translated into practical ways in relation to agricultural science. The objectives were to: establish why Agricultural Science is not widely taught to learners in secondary schools, examine learners, teachers’, education administrators and parents’ perceptions and experiences about the teaching and learning of Agricultural Science in secondary schools and examine the availability of facilities, human resource, teaching and learning resources in schools for the implementation of Agricultural Science in secondary schools which all took place in Lusaka district. The researcher employed a phenomenological research design. Semi structured interview schedules and focus group discussion guide were used to collect data from teachers, learners, head teachers, parents and an Agricultural Science curriculum specialist. The sample size was 66, consisting of 36 learners, 11 teachers, 12 parents, 6 head teachers and 1 Agricultural Science curriculum specialist. Data was analyzed using the main themes that emerged from the research objectives in relation to related literature that was reviewed and the theoretical framework that guided the study. The findings of the study clearly showed that Agricultural Science curriculum cannot be implemented in all secondary schools because of the absence of various teaching and learning materials and the shortage of qualified teachers of the subject. The perceptions of the implementation of Agricultural Science from various participants were that the subject was not being effectively implemented. It was further revealed that due to lack of funding, there were insufficient teaching and learning resources for effective implementation of Agricultural Science. From this study, it was concluded that the implementation of Agricultural Science was not being effectively done in secondary schools of Lusaka district. It was thus recommended that the government of the Republic of Zambia and the Ministry of Education should give serious consideration to the recommendations of curriculum specialists based on the provision of teaching and learning resources to ensure that practical subjects such as Agricultural Science are effectively implemented. . | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://dspace.unza.zm/handle/123456789/9349 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | The University of Zambia | |
| dc.title | A phenomenological examination of the experiences and perceptions of learners, teachers and other eductational stakeholders about the agricultural science curriculum in selected secondary schools of Lusaka district, Zambia. | |
| dc.type | Thesis |