1. TRAINING AND SUPPORTING TEACHERS
TO PROVIDE QUALITY EDUCATION - A
SOUTHERN PERSPECTIVE FROM ZAMBIA
By Peggy Mwanza
University of Edinburgh
School of Education
1

2. Introduction
Most of the Global South is located in South and
Central America, Africa, and Asia. I am focusing
on Zambia in Southern Africa.
Problems and Challenges for Teacher Training
Recommendations for improvement of T Training
Rapid increase in enrolment figures in Zambia – in
primary schools was 80% in 1990&100% in 2012.
70-100 children per class espec in urban areas.
•Teachers need training and support
2

3. Teacher Training in Zambia
The Government is the main provider of Teacher
training at University and Colleges.
There are also private Teacher Training Colleges
and a private University
But there are challenges:
•Pedagogical training is often theoretical
•Few training and learning materials
•Inadequate classroom space
•Delays in Teacher deployment
3

4. Challenges Teachers face in
Zambia
• Inadequate teaching and learning materials
• Large Class sizes
- encourage teacher centred methodologies
• Low demand for education especially in rural areas
i) Poverty
ii) HIV and AIDS and other health issues
iii) lower educational levels of most parents in rural
areas
iv) parents’ inability to help their children’s learning
4

5. Problems for Teacher Training
• Shortage of teachers
• Low teacher morale
- low salaries, lack of & poor accommodation,
poor school infrastructure, inadequate textbooks and
other teaching & learning materials
- absenteeism, late-coming and leaving early (for 2nd
jobs) continue to be problems among teachers
• Teachers in rural areas in Zambia tend to teach less
than their counterparts in urban areas
5

6. Recommendations
• Stakeholders should work with
government to make resources available.
• Student centred learning approach
through improved teacher training
courses should be provided to teachers.
• Governments, donors, NGOs and
stakeholders should work collaboratively
to make teaching attractive in all regions
6