A study shows that availability of teachers, workshops and cost were the key factors that influenced the selection of the vocational subjects (under two-tier system) offered at particular schools. The study by Zambia’s Education Sector Support Technical Assistance Facility (ZESSTA) was assessing the implementation and ways of strengthening the implementation of the Vocational Education and Training (VET) component of the two-tier system outlined in the revised national curriculum. They objective of the study was to 1) identify key challenges, document best practice, identify industrial and/or public work place activity projects within the schools which could be used for simulations by Technical and Entrepreneurship Skills Clubs and which can be replicated in other schools; and 2) gather contextual information as a basis for making recommendations to the Ministry of General Education, Ministry of Higher Education and Technical Education, Vocation and Entrepreneurship Training Authority on how they can best support the implementation of the two-tier system, and what each can do to complement each other and make the two-tier system best support improved learning outcomes. It also sought to 3) provide school managers with practical ideas and suggestions on how they can implement and manage the two-tier system on a day to day basis in their schools; and 4) provide teachers with practical ideas, suggestions and methodologies suitable to the current context in their schools, that can be used in their classrooms to improve learning outcomes for vocational stream students. The study focused on ten fundamental areas ascertaining 1) how is the two-tier system being implemented at the national level; 2) how is the two-tier system being implemented in secondary schools; 3) the teaching of vocational subjects in secondary schools; 4) resources to implement the two-tier system in school; 5) assessments and awards; 6) the management of the implementation two-tier system in secondary schools; 7) resources to implement the two tier system; 8) communication issues; 9) best practices; and 10) 21st Century teaching and learning practices suitable to Zambia. The findings indicated that 1) the curriculum available but requires updating; 2) the textbooks were shallow and inadequate; 3) the procurement of teaching materials takes too long; 4) the number of students in class is too large; 5) the afternoon classes students have little time for practical's; 6) the Teacher’s Curriculum Implementation Guide produced but not available in most schools; 7) the contact periods ranges from 6 – 12 hours per week; 8) the workshops are untidy, not safe and poorly equipped; 9) the procurement of equipment and machinery is constrained by inadequate financial resources; and 10) teachers were not enough. Other issues were that there was need for well-coordination between the two examination bodies [TEVETA and the Examinations Council of Zambia] in terms of timeframes for the 1) examinations; 2) registration of candidates to sit for examinations; 3) agree on structures on the ground to register, secure monitor, and process; 4) appropriately coordinate the management of examination (resources, distribution, invigilation, marking and dissemination of examination results); and 5) have well defined roles of Ministry of General Education, Ministry of Higher Education, ECZ, TEVETA, Schools and other stakeholders. Findings on communication were that 1) the communication used in schools to promote the vocation subjects seems inadequate; 2) no communication plan; 3) the use of new technologies to communicate is not common in the secondary school; 4) there was no single institution that had a website; and 5) there were no written guidelines on vocational subjects for the head teachers, pupils, PTA and the School Board. Best practices that produced optimal results in the teaching and learning of vocational subjects in schools that emerged included 1) peer teaching - This is where the teachers who have been retrained teach the other teachers. 2) Looping system - same teacher will teach the same students from Grade 8 to 12. 3) Team teaching - Teachers who teach the same subject help each other to teach; 4) Electronic board – useful message are posted on a digital platform; 5) Window frames, tables, benches and billboard - Some schools have fabricated window frames, rakes and frames of tables for the school; 6) Information boards - made by students in some schools [that is, benches, stools and information boards had been made by students in some schools, both as class projects and as part of the TEVETA examinations]; and 7) Unsupervised repairs of electricity circuits due to high confidence levels learners developed. Some schools had their electric circuits on display on the walls in their workshops. The teachers in one school mentioned that the students had become so familiar with electricity that they no longer wait for teachers’ supervision but do some repairs on their own, bringing in the fear of students being electrocuted, though the students being knowledgeable is a positive thing. 21st century teaching and learning methodologies in the TVET sector appropriate to Zambia The methodologies and examples briefly outlined below are sourced from the Internet, and showcase international best practice for providing vocational education. Links are provided for further detailed description. Most of been selected because they can be replicated in schools implementing the two-tier system without much investment. The majority rely on the entrepreneurial and innovative drive of the head of school. Matching skills to jobs is one of the methodology. Increased partnerships with companies operating in Zambia can help produce graduates with specific skills needed to fuel the country’s booming industries. The study contended that through public-private partnerships, schools could improve quality and relevance of the education and the industry could get high-quality employees, while students can get work experience at relatively low costs, because the materials are provided by the companies. Furthermore, students through the school and company partnership move from internship through probation to a permanent position in one of the large companies the school has ties with. The study also called for the pursuance of the dual system of vocational training similar to the Germany model. The main idea of the dual system of vocational training is training that takes place both at a company and at a school in a cycle. The company provides trainees with the practical part of the training for 3–4 days a week, while the vocational school delivers the theoretical part for the other 1–2 days. Companies are heavily involved in the developing and updating the curricula. This German developed approach to teaching vocational subjects is beneficial to learners, schools and the participating companies. Companies reduce labour cost through engaging students, schools have access to latest equipment in the market and do not need to buy the equipment and students learn what goes in industry and are better prepared for employment. EMPRETEC was the other strategy suggested in the study. This is a UNCTAD's EMPRETEC Programme foster entrepreneurship in developing countries. Zambia Development Agency is the implementing agency of this programme in Zambia. It is an integrated entrepreneurial capacity-building programme that provides entrepreneurship training and technical assistance to promote SME development by: 1) promoting entrepreneurship; 2) fostering individual entrepreneurial capabilities; 3) building institutional capacity at the country level; and 4) encouraging employment-creating investment and linkages both among SMEs as well as between large and small enterprises. Work-based and blended learning were the others. Work based learning is an approach that refers to students being placed in a work environment either through internship or apprenticeship, or holiday attachment. The purpose is to provide an opportunity to students to experience the working culture, earning practical skills and knowledge from experienced workers in a business. This approach demands preparations and execution from the school that involve partnering with small and large businesses houses in a particular industry in a locality Blended Learning combined use of direct face to face and e-learning in schools can mitigate against the limited qualified teachers, limited teaching materials and generate the interest of the students born in the digital age. E-learning comes in different forms. One of the commonest approaches used is Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment (Moodle) provides an organised interface for e learning, or learning over the Internet. The use of Moodle can be very a useful complementary approach to face-to-face learning in schools. It is argued in the study that the use of technology in schools can be embraced rapidly by students (digital natives) but will surely be resisted by digital migrants (teachers, head teachers and administrator).


TEVETA Zambia 2024. (MOTS statutory agency)