An Investigation into Reasons Behind the Preference for Grant-Aided to Public Boarding Secondary Schools by Guardians and Pupils: A Case of Kafue Boys Secondary School in Kafue District

An Investigation into Reasons Behind the Preference for Grant-Aided to Public Boarding Secondary Schools by Guardians and Pupils: A Case of Kafue Boys Secondary School in Kafue District

Master of Education (Religious Studies)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the reasons behind the preference for Grant-aided over public boarding secondary schools with Kafue Boys Secondary School. Based in the Kafue District of the Lusaka Province of Zambia as a case study. The study was investigated through interviews and questionnaires by the Kafue District Education Board’s office, the United Church of Zambia’s education Secretary, and the Kafue Boys Secondary School’s deputy headteacher. Others were the teachers and pupils from Kafue Boys Secondary School, former boarding school pupils, and guardians who had children in boarding secondary schools.

Additionally, the study sought to find out how the preference in question was affecting the teaching and learning outcomes.
The study revealed that the preference for Grant-aided over public boarding secondary schools was very real and was due to discipline enforced on teachers and pupils in Grant-aided than was the case in public boarding secondary school, good grades scored by Grant-aided than public boarding secondary schools, the fact that the majority of Zambians were Christians, better infrastructure in Grant-aided boarding schools and enough teaching staff in Grant-aided over public boarding secondary schools.

This preference had both positive and negative effects on the teaching and learning outcomes. The positives were that: the preference availed the Grant-aided boarding secondary schools with more financial resources through school fees which could be used to better the schools. The preference meant that the schools had the opportunity to positively influence the morals of more people through the many pupils passing through them. The church was getting a sense of satisfaction in leading more people to Christ and even joining them thereby increasing their resources to build and run more schools. Churches were motivated to build and run more schools in order to satisfy the market demand thereby complementing the government's efforts to make quality education accessible and closer to the people. Teachers were feeling proud of being associated with schools of choice thereby motivating them to put in their best in their teaching work and pupils were motivated to be morally upright and work hard in their studies for fear of losing their school places.

The negative effects included temptations to school administrations to over enrolling pupils, and the temptation to school administrators to accept bribes from some guardians who might want their children to be considered first which would lead to lowering of the education standards offered by the same schools. The last negative effect was a temptation to schools to overcharge in school and boarding fees which would deprive the deserving pupils of acquiring a quality education because their guardians are poor.

Mafuleka George

Submitted to Justo Mwale University

2017

Supervisor: Dr. Victor Chilenje

All Right Reserved. Justo Mwale University

Physical Medium.

English

An Investigation into Reasons Behind the Preference for Grant-Aided to Public Boarding Secondary Schools by Guardians and Pupils