International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume V, Issue III, March 2021 | ISSN 2454–6186

Challenges faced by Combined Schools in Masaiti district which hinders the provision of Quality Education

Mufalo Mutau Setwin^1*, Sanny Mulubale², Gistered Muleya³, Simui Francis^4
1Mishikishi secondary school, Masaiti, Zambia
²School of Education, University of Zambia
^3,4 Institute of Distance Education, University of Zambia
*Corresponding Author

Abstract: This paper discusses challenges faced by combined schools in Masaiti district which hinders the provision of quality education. A mixed methods concurrent triangulation model was used in the study. The study was conducted in all the 8 purposively sampled combined schools in Masaiti district on the Copperbelt province of Zambia. The study sample had 138 respondents comprising 77 females and 61 males. Teachers and pupils were randomly selected while school administrators and the Ministry of General Education officials were purposively sampled. Focus Group Discussions, semi-structured interviews & mixed questionnaires were the research instruments used during data collection. Pupils, school administrators and the Ministry of General Education officials were interviewed while teachers responded to a questionnaire. Qualitative data was thematically analysed while quantitative data was analysed with the help of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software. The study revealed that all combined schools in Masaiti district faced many challenges which hindered the provision of quality education to learners. Some of these challenges were; lack of teaching and learning materials, inadequate infrastructure, sexual harassment among learners, lack of parental involvement in school activities, inadequate qualified teachers and long distances covered by learners to school among others. Due to these challenges, it was revealed that these schools were recording very poor final examination results at junior secondary school level more especially in Social Studies from the time they were upgraded in 2017. But little was being done to mitigate these challenges. Based on the research findings therefore, the study recommended that the Ministry of General Education should collaborate with parents and other relevant stakeholders in order to mitigate these challenges by providing necessary teaching/learning materials and embark on construction of school infrastructure which will improve the provision of quality education in combined schools.

Keywords: Challenges, Combined Schools, Learners, Masaiti, Quality Education, Strategies