Abstract
The Ministry of General Education (Zambia) introduced subject specialisation at primary school. However, researchers have not yet sufficiently interrogated the concepts and modalities of subject specialisation at the primary school level to build a basis for an informed position and implementation. The paper aimed to review the literature and international practice relevant to subject specialisation at the primary school level. Interpretive techniques were applied while conducting secondary data analyses. The review established that there were different models of specialisation in education. There were also mixed experiences of subject specialisation in teaching and learning at primary school levels from the countries accessed. Nonetheless, intentional narrowed practice tended to contribute to the competent delivery of service in education. The paper, thus, welcomed differentiated types of specialisation based on school circumstances, learner grade level, staff numbers and teaching and learning facilities. Therefore, the authors proposed a study to explore the assertions and proposals.
Highlights
Background to the StudyLearning achievement of school pupils in Zambia has continued to elude the Ministry of General Education (MoGE)
In an attempt to improve learner performance, the MoGE circular dated 5th April 2019 addressed to all Provincial Education Officers in Zambia by the Permanent Secretary (Technical Services) of the Zambian Ministry of General Education (MoGE) guided as follows:
Documentation and systematic assessment of learning achievement at the national level in Zambia can be traced to 1998 when the Ministry of Education (MoE) assessed learning achievement nationally and examined how this would be changing over time
Summary
Background to the StudyLearning achievement of school pupils in Zambia has continued to elude the Ministry of General Education (MoGE). Documentation and systematic assessment of learning achievement at the national level in Zambia can be traced to 1998 when the Ministry of Education (MoE) assessed learning achievement nationally and examined how this would be changing over time. This assessment was conducted in Grade 5 (in a seven-year primary school cycle), focusing on English and numeracy. The assessment was in Zambian Languages too Arising from this national assessment exercise was the conclusion that: In terms of the learning achievement of school pupils, Zambia appears to be a nation at risk. The MLA (Monitoring Learning Achievement) and SACMEQ (Southern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality) investigations indicate that low levels of learning achievement are
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