The University of Zambia Journals
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Domestication of SDG 4 into quality inclusive education in Zambia; Policy issues and implementation challenges
Get PDFThis study assessed the compliance level of rural Primary schools to the
Free Basic Education (FBE) Policy guidelines in Monze District of the
Southern Province of Zambia. The study used a descriptive survey design
with 130 respondents and used simple random and purposive sampling
techniques to select respondents. Questionnaires and interviews were used
in collecting data. Qualitative content analysis revealed that rural primary
schools failed to comply with FBE guidelines due to inadequate and delayed
funding from the government. Non-compliance to FBE policy guidelines led
to schools demanding fees from pupils. This led to pupil absenteeism and
dropping out of school. The study concluded that free education remained
a pipedream for some families due to a combination of poor funding from
government and poverty among rural people. The study recommends that
government funding to rural primary schools should be increased to make
the attainment of universal primary education a reality
CONFLICT OF LAWS IN BILATERAL MARRIAGES THAT FUSE STATUTORY LAW AND NGONI CUSTOMARY LAW IN ZAMBIA: THE NEED TO ADDRESS THE CONUNDRUM
Get PDFThis article focuses on the conundrum attendant to the strict application of duality of laws in bilateral marriages. Important to state, on the outset, is that marriage in Zambia can only be legally contracted under either customary law, or statutory law. The law does not require the fusion of both laws to contract a valid marriage. The status quo notwithstanding, research conducted on point has established that a number of marriages in Zambia combine both laws so that these marriages are valid under both laws. These laws are simultaneously applied when contracting marriage so that it cannot be argued such are converted marriages. These marriages are herein referred to as bilateral marriages. While the challenges of duality in bilateral marriages abound, this article focuses on the conundrum relating to child custody and property settlement. It also endeavours to illuminate the courts’ complicity to the prevailing challenges and suggests ways to address the problems existent in bilateral marriages.
The research conducted on the subject was qualitative. The doctrinal methodology was mainly adopted because of the need to conduct an in depth analysis of the meta-data, judicial decisions, archival documents, journal articles, books, the Constitution and statutes. The research also involved interviews with key informants. The methodology was preferred because of its flexibility to intellectual understanding of legal intricacies both substantively and procedurally more so that the study was ‘in law’ not about law. The law subjects of this discussion are Ngoni customary law, and statutory law.
Research findings established that, bilateral marriages stem from duality. The motivation for bilateral marriages is that it tends to provide a safe haven for monogamy while still allowing parties to quench their thirst for their culture. The continuous existence of duality has largely been due to its seemingly anodyne nature on society, and the judicature’s lackadaisical and incongruent approach to customary related matters. Anchored on the natural theory of acceptable standards of a legal system, this article argues that the conflict of laws existent in bilateral marriages clogs the legal principles of regularity, certainty and casts aspersion on the intelligibility of the Zambia legal system vis-à-vis marriage. The proliferation of bilateral marriages thus beckons the legal profession to critically focus on the laws regulating marriage in Zambia so as to address the exiting challenges
MISMATCH BETWEEN FAMILIAR LANGUAGE AND LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION AMONG PUPILS: EFFECT ON READING COMPREHENSION IN SELECTED PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN LUSAKA DISTRICT, ZAMBIA
Get PDFThis paper examines the extent of the mismatch between familiar language and language of instruction among pupils and its effect on reading comprehension in selected primary schools in Lusaka district of Zambia. The study sampled 240 Grade 5 pupils from three (3) government primary schools between the ages nine (9) to 13years. Results of the dependent (paired) sample t-tests indicated that there were significant differences in performance between listening comprehension in Cinyanja and Listening comprehension in English results. Equally, a MANOVA test indicated statistically significant differences in pupils’ performance in English language than those based on the home language. The results also suggest that some pupils in primary schools are not benefiting from using Cinyanja as a language of instruction as it contradicts with their home language. Therefore, the study recommended, among other things, the need to simplify the class language of instruction to children’s home and language of play and to train teachers in specific Zambian languages
Tracing the Experiences of an Inaugural Postgraduate Distance Education Alumni cohort of the University of Zambia.
Get PDFIn this study, we trace the experiences of an inaugural Postgraduate Distance Education Alumni cohort of the University of Zambia. The study is based on the University of Zambia and Zimbabwe Open University (UNZA-ZOU) Collaboration project whose first cohort of Postgraduate distance students were enrolled in 2014 and later graduated in 2016. Considering that the distance education at Postgraduate level was still in its infancy, there was need to learn from the first cohort to inform policy and practice. A qualitative approach using an adapted Online Google Form was applied targeting all the graduates in the first cohort out of which 24 participants volunteered to voice their lived experiences. The findings revealed that a significant number of those who participated in the study were promoted to senior positions after training while others retained their positions. Their views on the programmes were generally positive. However, there were a few concerns from some participants in the area of research supervision, quality of instructional materials among others. The study recommends the following: (i) UNZA-ZOU should seriously consider raising the profile of study materials by giving international examples and not just Zimbabwe based examples. Further, there is need to conduct a mini study which will focus on the employers regarding their views on the programmes
Implementation Status of Innovative Trade Subjects’ Curricula at Senior Secondary Education Level in Ogun State, Nigeria
Get PDFHistorically, reforms on curricula at all levels for the economic well-being of the populace have been on for many years in Nigeria. In respect of secondary education, the agitation for a more trade-driven curriculum in the growing 21st century for wealth generation has led to the inclusion of new trade subjects’ curricula in secondary schools of Nigeria. Despite this good will for a better future, criticisms abound about the curriculum reforms at secondary school level. This observation informed the study which examined the implementation status of innovative trade subjects’ curricula at senior secondary education level in Ogun State, Nigeria. The study is a descriptive survey in which four research questions guided the study. Innovative Curricula Implementation Status Scale (ICISS) was used for data collection from 240 teachers. The study found out that there is was no adequate teaching personnel to implement the curricula of the innovative subjects. Also, no adequate and relevant textual materials were made available while funding problem, lack of expected supervision and monitoring were also among the weaknesses confronting senior secondary school curriculum innovations. It is recommended among others that there should be adequate sensitization on the benefits inherent in the curriculum innovations, high priority for curriculum supervision, and monitoring for optimum actualization of the intended objectives for senior secondary education curriculum innovations in Nigeria
Teaching of Literacy in First Grades in Zambia and Norway: Exploring Some Similarities and Differences
Get PDFThis article presents the findings of the study conducted in Zambia and Norway on the teaching of literacy in the first grades. The aim of the study was to broadly reflect on the language of instruction and initial literacy situation in three grade one multilingual classrooms in both Zambia and Norway, and possibly highlight on the similarities and differences in the teaching of literacy between the two countries. Apart from reflecting on pedagogical and the general implementation in the classroom, other salient features and themes surrounding the topic were also highlighted. This was a qualitative study as data was collected through face to face interviews with two school managers (one from Zambia and one from Norway) from the two selected schools in the two countries. Four grade 1 classroom ( two in Zambia and two in Norway) observations were also conducted. The data collected was analyzed thematically and the findings revealed that there were several similarities and differences between the two countries. Among the noted ones were that both countries are multilingual with the language policy that demand the use of local languages as media of instruction as well as languages of initial literacy. The only difference was that for Norway, Norwegian is used as language of instruction at all levels (grades 1-13) in all public schools, including the University level, while for Zambia a local language is used as medium of instruction from Grade 1 to Grade 4. The other feature was that in both countries some parents supported the language policy whereas, others wanted their children’s mother tongue to be used as both language of instruction and language of initial literacy. In addition, teachers in both countries taught constrained finite skills such as alphabetic letters, letter-sound relationships and how one sound blended with others to form syllables, and slow learners were taken care of by receiving remedial work.
Another similarity was that there were talking walls and teaching and learning materials in both countries although for Zambia, serious inadequacy of teaching and learning materials was noted. On the issue of helping children from different language backgrounds other than Cinyanja, results showed that there was no specific policy in Zambia that explained how teachers should be helping pupils in schools that were not speakers of language used to teach initial literacy, while Norway has a sounding policy of helping the minority speaking pupils without sufficient language skills in Norwegian. In both countries there was mutual collaboration between the schools and the community. Finally, the paper commended the working collaboration that exist between the two countries, and recommended for continuity and support from both parties in aspects of good pedagogical practices. Zambia should also emulate Norway in formulating inclusive language policies that do not disadvantage the minority languages in terms of teaching initial literacy
Financing youth and adult literacy learning in Zambia: Determinant for the 7th National Development Plan target on youth and adult literacy
Get PDFYouth and adult literacy is a key determinant for the human development index on knowledge and education in Zambia. However, the widening literacy gaps remain a source of concern for the Zambian government and development agencies. This theoretical paper engages in a systematic analysis of the historical and current financing of youth and adult literacy learning in Zambia. The purpose is to conceptualise the funding practices and how they have affected literacy provision and determine Zambia’s chance of meeting its youth and adult literacy targets of the 7th National Development Plan. This was a desk review that included analysing education financing reports, curriculum policy documents and scholarly literature. The analysed documents included Zambia’s 6th National Development Plan, the 7th National Development Plans, Curriculum Review Framework for 2013, Ministry of Finance budget estimates on education and Ministry of Education reports of 2010 to 2020. The review established that the financing of youth and adult literacy learning in Zambia has been a historical challenge. Past efforts to improve funding have been met with a lack of commitment by stakeholders. The budgetary allocation to this sub-sector has been consistently the lowest in the Zambian education sector especially the period 2015 to 2020. The result has been challenges including the lack of trained facilitators, inadequate literacy learning facilities and teaching material. The literacy efforts have been characterised by failure to achieve their objectives. Youth and adult literacy continue to be a financially neglected sub-subsector of the education system in Zambia, despite its important place in the country’s human development index on knowledge. Thus, if Zambia continues on this funding trajectory, it risks missing the 7th National Development Plan targets of expanding youth and adult literacy, and skills for industrialisation. The paper recommends that the Zambian government consider a paradigm shift in financing strategies to include: a coordinated financing approach, the utilisation of an integrated literacy constituency development fund, creation of the youth and adult literacy fund incorporated with a literacy tax, and remodelling literacy programmes
A Discursive Analysis of Begging Discourse by the Visually Impaired in Zimbabwe
Get PDFThe article seeks to explore the societal perceptions and interpretations of the discourse used by the visually impaired people when begging in Zimbabwe. The paper analyses the expression of words in speech and songs during the begging process. The study emerges out of the realisation that there is a high rate of people with visual impairment begging in streets and buses. These people use spoken discourse through singing and chanting when begging from the society. Despite the economic hardships in Zimbabwe, the visually impaired are always begging and highly active on a daily basis. It is against this realisation that the article focuses on how this discourse is perceived and interpreted by different people in Zimbabwean societies. The paper provides a socio linguistic analysis of the language used during begging by the visually impaired. The main focus is on the societal perceptions and interpretations of the discourse used by the visually impaired people when begging. The article uses a qualitative research methodology with purposive sampling technique employed to gather data from the passengers in buses, the visually impaired and their guides and from bus drivers and conductors. Random selection of some people was also done to get their perceptions and interpretations on the discourse by the visually impaired people in the streets. Guided by the critical discourse analysis theory, the paper argues that the discourse used by the visually impaired is largely ‘politicised’ so as to appeal to people’s minds and get the assistance they need
Digitalising Indigenous Languages: Productivity, Accessibility and Mobility in The Global South
Get PDFApplication of Artificial Neural Network (ANN) in the Determination of the Drillability Index (DI) of a Rock Mass
Get PDFArtificial Neural Networks (ANN) have been applied to many interesting problems in different areas of science, medicine and engineering and in some cases, they provide state of-the-art solutions. This paper investigates the application of an ANN model in mining to predict the Drillability Index (DI) of a rock mass given rock parameters such as uniaxial compressive strength, shear strength, tensile strength, abrasion and hardness. Drillability indicates whether penetration is easy or hard while penetration rate indicates whether it is fast or slow. Therefore, prediction of the drillability and penetration rate is very important in rock drilling. Penetration rate is a necessary value for the cost estimation and the planning of the drilling project. According to results of this study, Uniaxial Compressive Strength (UCS) rating has the highest weight of 0.051083 among the three parameters studied which reconfirms the literature review finding which indicates that UCS is the most important parameter in predicting drillability