Can I go to school

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Can I go to school?

• Girls Education in Zambia
• Presented by Fridah Kawasha
• 11/17/06

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Girls Education in Zambia

• Overview
• Context
• My educational experiences in Zambia
• Historical and contemporary issues
• Affect on girls education
• Subsequent affect on women
• Whats being done

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Zambia
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Zambia
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Zambia

• Population 10.3 million (2000 Census)
• Landlocked
• Former British colony
• Became politically independent in 1964
• Economy largely based on copper mining and
  agriculture tourism

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Brief History of Education in Zambia

• Missionaries introduced modern education
• To spread the Word of God
• Emphasis on basic literacy, numeracy and
  penmanship
• No female students
• Mwanakatwe, J. M. (1968). The Growth of Education
  in Zambia since Independence. Kenya Oxford
  University Press.
• Ragsdale, J. P. (1986). Protestant Mission
  Education in Zambia, 1880-1954. Canterbury, NJ
  Associated University Presses.

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Brief History (cont) Colonial Era

• Fewer female students
• Emphasis was on basic skills for entry-level jobs
  in mines
• Liberal arts biased curriculum
• Teachers were less qualified
• Mwanakatwe (1968).
• Ragsdale (1986).

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Education at independence, 1964

• Few educated Zambians and least educated among
  former British colonies
• More expatriate workers, including teachers
• Poverty rates were high
• Mwanakatwe (1968).

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Post Independence Era

• Enormous gratuities from foreign shareholders in
  copper-mining industries
• Efforts to produce skilled local labor to reduce
  dependence on foreign labor
• Primary enrolment was increased.
• Duration for teacher training was reduced
• Kelly, M. J. (1999). The origins of Education in
  Zambia From pre-colonial times to 1996. Lusaka,
  Zambia Image Publishers.
• Mwanakatwe (1968).

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Structure of Education system

• Primary 1-7
• Secondary 8-12
• Vocational 2 years
• Tertiary 1-4 years
• Graduate 4 years

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My educational experiences
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Education after 1975

• Less education expenditure
• Dependence on parents contribution, in-kind
  donations, loans and grants
• Poor conditions in schools
• Few facilities
• Brain drain
• Kelly, M. J. (1991). Education in a Declining
  Economy The Case of Zambia 1975-1985.
  International Bank for Reconstruction and
  Development/ WORLD BANK Washington D. C.

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Current challenges Economy

• Early 1990s IMF imposed the Structural Adjustment
  Programs (SAPs) included privatization of
  government agencies
• Many people (mostly middle-class) lost jobs
• Fees in public schools (discontinued in 2002)
• Lack of jobs or pay cuts
• High drop out rate (about 50)
• Kelly, M. J. (1999).

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Enrolment in primary school

• Central Statistical Office (2003). Zambia DHS
  EdData Survey, 2002. Calverton, Maryland ORC
  Macro. (p. 54)

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Enrolment in secondary school

• Central Statistical Office (2003). (p. 61).

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Reasons for low enrolment for girls

• Parental decisions
• Low expectations for girls in conservative
  families
• Parents and guardians forced to make choices
• Ultimate choice mostly detrimental for girls
• Parents may choose to send son to school
• Kasonde-Ngandu, S., Chilala, W. N.
  Imutowana-Katukula, N. (2000). Gender and Primary
  Schooling in Zambia. Brighton, Sussex, England
  Institute of Development Studies.

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Reasons for low enrolment for girls (cont)

• Domestic Chores
• Girls and women do most household chores
• Girls look after younger siblings
• Help care for sick
• Cook family meals
• Boys have time to study
• Kasonde-Ngandu, Chilala, Imutowana-Katukula,
  N. (2000).

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Reasons for low enrolment for girls

• Challenges during Adolescence
• No sex education in school
• Early marriages, especially in rural areas
• Low-self esteem during puberty rites
• Kasonde-Ngandu, Chilala, Imutowana-Katukula,
  N. (2000).

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Reasons for low enrolment for girls

• Other reasons
• Feelings of hopelessness resulting from current
  economic situation
• Zambia has been forced to stop hiring the
  teachers it desperately needs (http//www.oxfam.or
  g.uk/generationwhy/issues/education/stories/zambia
  _education_crisis/))

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Subsequent womens issues

• Limited participation in politics and
  decision-making processes at national level
• Limited participation in development and economic
  activities
• Most unemployed women in lower rungs of economic
  ladder
• Touwen, A. (1996). Gender and Development in
  Zambia Empowerment of women through local
  non-governmental organizations. Netherlands
  Eburon
• Maipose, G. S. (1990) Urbanization, informal
  sector and employment. The informal sector in
  Zambia Employment consequences of the legal and
  regulatory framework. Working paper for
  International Labor Organization, Zambia.

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High rate of female illiteracy

• Central Statistical Office (2003). (p. 19)

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Subsequent womens issues

• Limited participation in politics and
  decision-making processes at national level
• Limited participation in development and economic
  activities
• Most unemployed women in lower rungs of economic
  ladder

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Whats being done

• Community response
• Community schools
• Forum for African Women Educators Zambia Chapter
  (FAWEZA)
• Teenage mothers given second chance to continue
  their education
• Government response
• Program for the Advancement of Girls Education
  (PAGE) to improve access, and retention through
  increased teacher and parental support

• Community school in Lusaka (http//www.american.ed
  u/ocl/volunteer/altbreak/pages/Community20School
  202_jpg.htm)

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Adult Education

• Adult Education in Lukulu, rural area in Western
  Zambia
• http//nrzam.org.uk/Barotseland/BarVill/Barotselan
  d_Village_Life.html