Effects of Free Education Policy on the Provision of Primary and Secondary Education in Zambia

Abstract

The study sought to establish the effects of the Free Education Policy on learner enrollment, school infrastructure, financing and the quality of teaching and learning in community primary and secondary public schools in Zambia. The study participants included the District Education Board Secretaries, head teachers, class teachers, learners and parents from 10 provinces, selected using probability and non-probability sampling techniques. Quantitative data was collected from teachers through a structured questionnaire. In addition, qualitative data was collected from the District Education Board Secretaries, learners and parents through in-depth interviews and Focus Group Discussion guides. Quantitative data was processed, cleaned and analyzed using the SPSS 23.0 to produce descriptive statistics. Qualitative data was transcribed, sorted and analyzed along with survey data to establish emergent trends. The study found that the implementation of the Free Education Policy had increased school enrollments and government funding. The increase in the number of learners in schools has put pressure on the already overstretched educational resources like teachers, desks, textbooks, toilets and laboratory facilities, indirectly affecting the quality of education. The study suggests that Zambia's Free Education Policy implementation can be strengthened by prioritizing desks, textbooks, sanitary facilities, teacher deployment, modern classroom construction, especially in rural areas, and enacting sustainable financing legislation. The study, within the lens of the Capability Approach, has practical implications on how the implementation of the Free Education Policy can be strengthened in Zambia.