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The study examined students' attitudes toward online learning classes introduced during the pandemic lockdown among students at the University of Lusaka. The study adopted a quantitative methodology with descriptive and comparative design methods. The study developed an attitude scale toward online learning and administered it to 1,542 students registered at the University of Lusaka. The data obtained from the scale were analyzed by using SPSS 26.0 package software. The study results show that students hold a negative attitude toward online learning, implying that they are more unlikely to accept online classes. The Pearson Chi-Square test statistics show that gender, age, work status, study mode and internet access significantly influenced students' attitudes toward online learning classes. The results are not encouraging regarding introducing online learning classes, especially for full-time and younger students. Therefore, we recommend that the introduction of online learning classes at the University of Lusaka be approached with caution to students in the full-time learning mode without neglecting the importance of face-to-face learning. Implications of this research are relevant to educational interventions, academic achievement, and technological advancement concerning university students.

This paper explores the thesis of de-globalisation in relation to international education. Through interrogating accounts of international school leadership during the COVID-19 crisis, the tension between international expectations and localised realities is charted, with four central tenets of internationalism undermined by the pandemic experience. It is argued that the COVID-19 crisis, ostensibly a single global event, resulted in the fractalisation of international education; the conceptualisation of unified internationalism was undermined by the inherently localised material effects of the pandemic. In place of an internationalism that is unified, transcendent, inclusive and connected, international school leaders' accounts of leading through the pandemic focused on their sense that their schools were fractured, rooted, privileged and isolated. It is suggested that this international crisis demonstrates the precarious nature of the respatialising of the global that is intrinsic to international schooling.

Since pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) influences the teaching learning process, it has dominated research on teacher effectiveness. This case study explored teachers' enacted topic-specific PCK (TSPCK) during the biology lesson study stages: planning, teaching, and reflecting. The enacted TSPCK in two video-recorded research lessons was analysed qualitatively. The results showed that the teacher enacted both high-order and low-order pedagogical actions in the enactment of the TSPCK on eight themes, namely: teaching strategies, classroom interactions, representations, curricular saliency, conceptual teaching strategies, students' prior knowledge and misconceptions, and what makes teaching or learning difficult. The results also show that the teachers' collective planned TSPCK was more developed than their personal TSPCK, indicating that participation in the lesson study improved the teachers' TSPCK. The study is important as it shows how teachers enact their personal and collective TSPCK in respiration. It also demonstrates the potential of lesson study to improve teachers' PCK through collaborative planning and reflection on taught lessons. The study recommends using lesson study to improve teachers' enacted TSPCK in respiration, and biology as a whole.

For schools to successfully deliver the computer studies curriculum, they should have, among other things, qualified teachers and computer laboratories. This study investigated the availability of qualified computer studies teachers and computer laboratories in public secondary schools in Lusaka City, Zambia. A mixed-methods approach was employed in which 61 schools out of 72 were randomly selected to take part in a survey, and this was followed by interviews, observations, interviews and documentary analysis. Among those surveyed, 50 schools completed the questionnaire, and the results show that 76% of computer studies teachers have qualifications in computer studies or information and communication technologies (ICTs) and the majority (55%) hold a diploma. However, there is a higher teacher-pupil ratio of as high as 1:276. The findings further show that 98% of the schools have computer laboratories and the majority have a lower computer-pupil ratio of 1:2 and 1:3. The results also show that data projectors and air conditioning units are available in many computer laboratories. However, many computer laboratories do not have servers and Internet connectivity. Given the above findings, it has been recommended that the Government of Zambia recruit more computer studies teachers and that school managers ensure the availability of facilities such as Internet connectivity in the computer laboratories.

This paper investigates profiles of high school students' mathematical problem-solving beliefs following the introduction of a new mathematics curriculum. In this quantitative study, 490 high school students responded to a mathematical problem-solving beliefs questionnaire to provide data about their beliefs related to mathematical problem solving. A cluster random sampling technique was used to select participants for the study. To accomplish the major goals of the study, a K-means clustering technique was conducted to analyze patterns that were discernible from their beliefs. In addition, a one-way ANOVA conducted to examine mean differences of their beliefs between clusters. Results revealed that, in general, students strongly believe that conceptual understanding is important in mathematics. In one of the clusters students hold strong beliefs about the usefulness of mathematics in their day-to-day lives while in another cluster it was strongly believed that effort was key for one to increase their mathematical ability. Results are important for students' confidence to solve mathematical problems and for implementation of a problem-solving approach in the new mathematics curriculum.

The effective use of technology in teaching can aid in enhancing the teaching and learning of a subject matter. This study aimed to enhance the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) of five pre-service biology teachers (PSBTs) by implementing a TPACK-Instructional Design (TPACK-ID) model-based technology integration course at a Zambian public university. An explanatory case study design was used. Data sources for the study included semi-structured interviews, video lesson recordings, lesson plan reports and PSBTs' reflection notes. Data from interviews and reflection notes were analyzed using deductive thematic analysis while a TPACK rubric was used to simultaneously analyze lesson plan reports and video lesson recordings. The findings indicated that the TPACK-ID model-based technology integration course improved PSBTs' overall TPACK and sub-knowledge domains: pedagogical knowledge, technology knowledge, technological content knowledge, and technological pedagogical knowledge. The study recommends implementing context-based technology integration courses in teacher preparation programs to enhance pre-service teachers' TPACK.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the classroom assessment practices of secondary school teachers in Shiwang'andu District, Muchinga Province, Zambia. The objectives were to: describe the assessments that were being used by teachers in sampled schools; determine teachers' use of classroom assessment results; as well as establish viewpoints of teachers about classroom assessments. The study adopted a descriptive survey design and targeted 62 respondents from 10 selected secondary schools including the District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) office. Simple random sampling was used to sample the teachers, while the Heads of Department and Head teachers were selected conveniently. Purposive sampling was used to sample the District Education Standards Officer (DESO) and the District Resource Centre Coordinator (DRCC). Questionnaires and key informant interviews were used as data collection tools with descriptive statistics and narrative analysis used as data analysis methods for quantitative and qualitative data respectively. The study established that there were more secondary school teachers that use traditional assessments (71%) as compared to those that use contemporary assessments (29%) in sampled schools. Additionally, most respondents (42%) said that they used classroom assessment results to point out the difficult learning areas, identifying what pupils think and how they think and what they understand. 34% of the respondents use classroom assessment results to diagnose the effectiveness and drawbacks of teaching methods. 24% of the respondents indicated that they use classroom assessment results to make decisions regarding pupils' grade retention and promotion. The results also indicate that the majority of the respondents (48%) were of the view that pupils should only recognize rather than generalize their own answers in classroom assessment tasks and the teacher should only evaluate the pupils based on mastery of skills and knowledge. 29% of the respondents indicated that pupils must be assessed in diverse modes and the teacher must give assessments that match with pupils' development level. 23% of the respondents said that pupils must be assessed beyond classroom environment and the teacher to give assessments that promote higher learning skills and problem solving. The Zambian Ministry of General Education and school administrators in Shiwangandu District should ensure that all teachers with teaching certificates go for further training and take more courses in assessment to improve their skills and use of up-to-date desirable classroom assessment practices.

Studies conducted on learners rarely focus their investigations on learner perceptions of pre-service teachers' classroom management practices. In response to the changing school environments, this study investigated learners' perceptions of preservice teachers' classroom management practices. A survey design was adopted in which 550 grade 11 secondary school learners from eleven secondary schools in the Copperbelt Province in Zambia formed the sample. A Likert scale questionnaire was used to collect data which was analysed using SPSS and also through an iterative process. The study revealed that learners positively perceived pre-service teachers' classroom management practices. This is indicated by pre-service teachers' interest in learners' welfare, possessing good personal qualities, ability to handle learners' disruptive behaviours, ability to teach effectively, and ability to assess learners effectively. Using an independent samples t-test, it was concluded that there were no statistically significant gender differences in learners' perceptions of pre-service teachers' classroom management. Regardless of which institution preservice teachers came from, learners had a positive impression of pre-service teachers in terms of learner discipline (60%), assessment of learners (66.3%), learner and pre-service-teacher relationship (64.7%), pre-service teachers' ability to teach (54%), interest in learner welfare (58.5%), pre-service teachers' personal characteristics (82.6%) and acceptance of pre-service teacher (46.9%).

Previous studies have paid considerable attention to the impact on a child's primary education of attending pre-primary school. Researchers have asserted that early educational intervention can compensate for the effects of poverty and inadequate learning environments on child development and school success. This study analyzes the relationship between pre-primary education and student reading and mathematics achievement in the sixth grade, focusing on disadvantaged children, in countries that participated in the Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SACMEQ) III project. The results show that the achievement of children who attended pre-primary education is higher than that of those who did not. The achievement of children who have many home resources for learning is better than that of children who have a few such resources. In almost all countries, disadvantaged children's achievement is increased when they attend pre-primary education. However, the contribution of pre-primary education to ameliorating social inequalities is different in the various contexts of different countries. These findings contribute to the discussion on the importance of early childhood care and education, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: Most health and developmental issues affecting young people are interrelated. However, few interventions address multiple behavioral domains simultaneously or are based on theories that encompass a holistic perspective of youth development. Aim: The purpose of this scoping review was to identify and describe the range of theory-based, multibehavioral health interventions aimed at improving two or more of the following behavioral youth outcomes: (1) sexual and reproductive health; (2) education and employment; (3) violence; and (4) substance use. Methods: Interventions conducted worldwide and published in English or Spanish between January 2000 and July 2020 were identified using four databases: PubMed, PsycINFO, LILACS, and SciELO. Results: A total of 11,084 articles were identified, of which 477 were retrieved and assessed for eligibility. Twenty-three articles (evaluating 21 interventions) ultimately met the inclusion criteria. Most interventions were conducted in the United States and addressed two behavioral domains of interest, although seven interventions incorporated three domains, and one incorporated all four. Substance use was the most common domain (16 interventions) but only in the United States/Canada, followed by sexual and reproductive health (14 interventions). All produced significant improvement in at least one outcome or for at least one subgroup of youth. The most common theoretical foundations were positive youth development and social learning theory. Conclusion: Integrated interventions that are theory based and evidence informed can support positive development and empower youth to make healthy decisions. Further efforts are needed to address structural and policy issues that affect young people's developmental opportunities and health outcomes.

Teachers' reflections on their practice are a powerful tool for measuring and supporting their professional knowledge. Pedagogical content knowledge is one of the most influential domains of teacher professional knowledge. This multiple-case study investigated the topic-specific pedagogical content knowledge (TSPCK) components that Zambian secondary school science teachers integrate when reflecting on biology lessons. Three teachers from the same school were observed teaching a biology lesson and attended post-observation interviews. Data were mainly collected through lesson plans, lesson observation field notes and post-observation interviews. The data were analysed using in-depth analysis of explicit TSPCK, enumerative and constant comparative approaches. TSPCK maps were constructed to illustrate each teachers' integration of TSPCK components. The results revealed four features about the integration of TSPCK components: (a) None of the teachers depended solely on a single TSPCK component as they integrated other components (b) The components curricular saliency, students' prior knowledge and misconceptions, and conceptual teaching strategies were central in the TSPCK maps of all the teachers, while representations and analogies, and what make the topic easy/difficult to teach/learn were least integrated (c) All teachers had different pairs of reciprocal connections among TSPCK components, and (d) All teachers had different pairs of most integrated components. The implications of these findings for science and teacher education research were presented and discussed. It was concluded that teachers' reflections revealed the integration between TSPCK components and showed them differently. The study recommends investigating teachers' reflections over several lessons and tracking any changes in their TSPCK integration.

Attitudes towards educating children with disabilities have changed dramatically over the past 25 years in the African Sub-Saharan country of Zambia. Some children with special needs have come to be respected and offered educational opportunities to maximise their potential. These opportunities have included specialised schools and equipment, as well as teachers trained to offer specialised teaching methods. The early practice of educating children with disabilities in schools separate from 'regular' children has been re-evaluated and the concept of 'inclusion' has been implemented for many. This has resulted in changes in teacher preparation and social acceptance of children with handicaps, but little government support is provided. Some educators remain unconvinced that inclusion is in the best interest of children with and without disabilities. However, most feel that while inclusive practices are helpful, resources are inadequate to maximise the positive effects of inclusion. This brief report details the advancements and current attitudes towards inclusive education of children with disabilities in Zambia.

With evidence of global climate change and ongoing ecological degradation, there is an urgent need to give more attention to sustainability within VET to ensure that VET does not remain complicit in reproducing the unjust and unsustainable trajectories of current economic and development pathways. At present, the VET literature does not adequately address these issues, hence the need for this special issue. In response, this paper offers a meta-reflective 'landscape view' of the sustainability within the VET 'field of knowledge' as it is emerging. Here, we use landscape review as a multi-dimensional, 'outside-in' view that provides a basis for understanding the broad context and helps to inform actionable next steps. This analysis we believe helps to highlight the key emerging priorities as well as what paths VET is taking on the journey to sustainability. The analysis shows that while some progress has been made in policy and practice related to the 'greening' of VET, much of the current response within VET to the environmental challenge reflects a minimalist reformist approach, characterised by 'bolt-ons' to existing institutional structures and curricula whilst leaving the fundamental beliefs in productivism, industrialisation and growth in place. Yet, as argued by researchers working on green economy, these beliefs are often complicit in co-creation of the environmental crisis.

Pedagogical strategies intended for monolingual classes may not adequately address the educational needs and aspirations of culturally and linguistically diverse learners, as multilingual and bilingual learners differ from monolinguals. This article sought to understand multilingual teachers' pedagogical approaches to helping non-speakers of the language of instruction learn initial reading (decoding) skills in diverse classes of Lusaka District of Zambia. Qualitative data was collected through face-to-face interviews, focus groups, and lesson observations with 23 Grade One teachers. Data collected were transcribed and qualitative content analysis was performed through a meaning condensation process. Findings of the study revealed that teachers in multilingual classes used translanguaging, bilingual materials, remediation and reading interventions strategies to teach literacy among early graders. Further, parents, multilingual teachers, and bilingual learners were also used as resources in multilingual classes. The study recommended that the government should develop and implement a strong simultaneous bilingual or multilingual literacy programme to reflect community languages and avoid imposing monoglossic language ideologies across schools. Early grade teachers should be allowed to use diverse pedagogical approaches in the teaching of reading in multilingual classes within the mainstream curriculum.

This participatory action research project conducted through the USAID-funded Transforming Teacher Education activity examined how two pre-service teacher education programs in Zambia prepared teachers for primary reading instruction. College and university lecturers and in-service primary grade teachers participated in focus groups and interviews. We identified gaps between training and practice within the framework of Zambia's language of instruction policy. We find that pre-service teacher preparation was generally theoretical and not practical. Opportunities for practice were limited, leading to teachers lacking required competencies and using outdated approaches in schools. We suggest strategies to improve the alignment of pre-service teacher education and classroom instruction.

The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and, in particular, its Sustainable Development Goal no. 4, underline the relevance of quality education that translates into long-term benefits for all learners. This article reports findings of a collaborative research study that piloted an inclusive practice index to investigate inclusion in schools. We applied a mixed-methods design to identify potent features of inclusion, and developed an index that measured the extent to which inclusive practices were considered in schools. The index was administered in 168 schools and to 498 teachers. Using exploratory factor analysis, psychometric properties and potency of factors were determined. Our results revealed a two-factor solution cumulatively accounting for 72% of variation. Based on our findings, we highlight the need for schools to be deliberate in processes that enhance application of inclusive practices. When applied with intention, this will foster accountability for inclusion in the delivery of meaningful inclusive education.

Children in sub-Saharan African countries face higher exposure to gender-based violence (GBV) compared to their counterparts in other world regions (United Nations Children's Fund [UNICEF], 2014). When GBV occurs in schools, it severely endangers access to education. Using the third round of data of the Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SACMEQ) from over 60,000 Grade 6 learners across 14 countries, we examined the relationship between GBV in primary schools and learners' absenteeism. Findings indicate that sexual harassment perpetrated by teachers significantly increases learners' absenteeism. In contrast, effects were less clear when the perpetrator was a fellow learner. Effects found are similar in magnitude for girls and boys. Violence prevention education programmes and stricter punishment for offenders are needed to establish a safer school environment and overcome harassment-related barriers to learning.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative effect on children's mental health worldwide. Existing studies suggest that children with greater levels of hope are more likely to be resilient in the face of disaster. While social support at the family and community level is proposed as an important factor in sustaining and fostering hope, the children of underprivileged households in developing countries tend to lack this support. We investigate whether development projects run by international NGOs are able to fill this gap and help children to remain hopeful during the pandemic. Using original survey data from 834 children in adolescence (aged between 10 and 18) in Kenya and Zambia, we show that children participating in Good Neighbors' child sponsorship programs and community development projects exhibit higher scores on the Children's Hope Scale than do non-participating children. These projects appear to foster hope by providing emotional and informational support.

Teachers' conceptual knowledge contributes to the quality of teaching and learning of mathematics. The purpose of this study was to explore how mathematics teachers show understanding of soft skills and if they are aware of the methods that incorporate them in teaching and learning of mathematics. The sample consisted of 91 mathematics teachers, comprising 48 males and 43 females, who were purposively selected from secondary schools in Mazabuka district in Zambia. The parallel mixed design was used to collect data through a conceptual understanding test, developed using literature. Data were analyzed using JASP, SPSS software, and an excel spreadsheet. The findings revealed that the majority of mathematics teachers did not possess enough conceptual understanding of soft skills, and most of them were not aware of the methods and assessment strategies that incorporate soft skills. Additionally, mathematics teachers' demographical factors such as age, gender, level of education and teaching experience were not found to have influenced teachers in the way they classified teaching and assessment strategies as very appropriate, appropriate, or not appropriate except in a few instances were gender and age had shown to have an influence. The study provides an insight into the needs of mathematics teachers to have adequate knowledge and preparation in the integration of soft skills in mathematics.

The study aims to understand the foremost challenges in the transition to online teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study adopts the PRISMA approach to screening the selection of journal articles and review papers according to the research aims and the inclusion criteria. The journal articles and review papers were extracted and stored in Microsoft Excel and Google Scholar, Academic. Microsoft, Semantic Scholar, Elsevier, and Emerald Insight databases searched relevant documents using formulated keywords. A statistical technique was applied using the M.S. Excel analysis tool (PivotTable and an independent t-Test) to analyze data and determine the differences between teachers and students. The review revealed the evidence that the majority of the studies were primarily focused on the individual developing countries and results from other developing countries were not considered. In addition, the foremost challenges in the transition to online teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic were inadequate skills and training, inadequate Internet/Infrastructure, lack of supporting resources and lack of online student engagement and feedback. Finally, the independent t-test reveals there is no statistically significant difference in challenges in the transition to online teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both teachers and students encounter similar challenges. The systematic review raised concerns that higher learning needs to effectively implement long term strategies and support teachers and students in getting into online teaching and learning.

Upcoming changes in the teacher labor supply will have an impact on nations that provide government-based education for their youth. Faced with a significant global shortfall of educators, most countries have taken steps to incentivize teaching as a profession and ensure that qualified teachers are available to students in all locations -- particularly in rural environments. To understand these initiatives more thoroughly, a short-term policy analysis focused on incentives for teacher labor through a lens of governmental policy implementation has been completed. This resulted in a review of the efforts three nations (Australia, the United States and Zambia) have undertaken to ensure a viable and consistent teacher workforce in rural areas. While each nation has specific factors that contribute to current and projected shortages, each also provides unique solutions to assist in resolving this ongoing issue. Through the examination of multiple hiring factors and incentives used in each location, a better understanding of the specific challenges and strategies employed to secure a viable teaching workforce has been developed. Outcomes related to this policy analysis showed commonalities in the lack of developed strategies to prepare rural educators to address teacher shortages in more remote regions. In addition, while education leaders in each country continue to publicly call for additional support for rural teachers -- very little legislation or policy implementation has been enacted to bolster this subsection of public education in any of the specified nations. Additional discussion about the long-term concerns regarding rural teacher supply and student equity is also developed.

The presence of social media platforms in secondary students? daily life is growing on but it may appear difficult to know which ones are more convenient for academia, particularly among secondary school pupils who are commonly substantial internet-based life clients. This study seeks to understand Zambian pupils' profiles of social media usage, in particular, in mathematics learning environments, mainly focusing on Facebook. Primary data sources were collected using a validated questionnaire from 288 participants at Wusakile Secondary School in Kitwe comprising of Grade 11 and Grade 12 pupils. Results revealed that Facebook was the most widely used application and that there was no statistically significant difference in pupils? mathematics Facebook usage based on gender while there was when considering grade level. Results also indicated that Grade 11 pupils? mean scores for social media usage were higher than those from Grade 12 pupils. Finally, results show that in the absence of mathematics classroom instructions, some pupils are also having mathematics discussions outside the classroom by means of social media, particularly on Facebook, although this academic use is still far from being relevant.

Curriculum Development in Zambia is highly centralized, with the Curriculum Development Center (CDC) being charged with developing the curriculum through consultative and participatory approaches through the course and subject panels where teachers are engaged. Nevertheless, there has been no empirical evidence to show how teachers are actively involved in the development process. This study aimed to investigate the phenomenon of teachers' involvement in the curriculum development process in Zambia. This study was qualitative and used a case study design approach. Data was collected using a semi-structured interview guide from secondary school teachers and headteachers. Raw data were collected through semi-structured interview forms from secondary school teachers and headteachers. The researcher analyzed the data using MAXQDA qualitative software to identify initial codes and generate emerging themes quickly. The results showed that secondary school teachers were dissatisfied with the present way of curriculum development, which insignificantly neglects them, and also, the majority of them have never participated in the development of the curriculum. Further, the results revealed that most of the secondary school teachers in Lusaka were willing to participate at any stage of the curriculum development in Zambia. This study concludes by arguing that secondary school teachers are significantly neglected to participate in the curriculum development in Zambia and recommends that the Ministry of General Education (MoGE) broaden the scope of secondary school teachers' participation in the curriculum developed through the Curriculum Development Center (CDC).

The overall purpose of this study was from an educational management perspective to explore the effectiveness of the re-entry policy implementation in public schools in Lusaka District, Zambia, and highlight the missing links between the stipulated re-entry policy of 1997 and the actual practice on the ground in terms of its implementation in secondary schools. This study was qualitative and employed a case study approach, and standard open-ended interviews were used to obtain data from the district education officers, headteachers, teachers, and parents to teen mothers. The study's findings imply that the re-entry policy implementation in the selected secondary schools is not practical to a high degree. The study findings further indicated that the policy is silent, and there is no awareness of the policy in secondary schools due to unclear policy goals and objectives. The study findings also indicated no sense of ownership of the policy by stakeholders responsible for implementing the policy. Further, the study concluded that secondary schools' policy implementation is not practical because there are no clear stated objectives, implementation and monitoring strategies, financial, human, and legal resources. Hence, this study recommended that the Ministry of General Education redesign the policy, including all stakeholders in the formulation process, and clearly state its goals and objectives to ensure future successful implementation.

The learning gap between urban and rural areas is a persistent problem in many sub-Saharan African countries. Previous studies have found that the urban-rural learning gap is attributed to the fact that student characteristics and school resources are different in urban and rural areas. Our study updates this finding by using the latest dataset and further examines the changes in the attributed sources over time. Using 15 educational systems in sub-Saharan Africa, we examined 4 potential sources of the gap: student, family, teacher, and school characteristics. Our results reveal that the urban-rural learning gap in recent years is attributed mostly to differences in school and family characteristics. We also found that the attribution remains the same over time from 2004 to 2011 and that the attribution to family characteristics' differences became slightly greater than the one to school characteristics' differences.

In this study we interrogated disablers and enablers in the uptake of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) in five rural primary schools in Mwinilunga district, Zambia. A qualitative research methodology and descriptive research design were applied. An interview schedule and focus group discussions were used as research instruments to interrogate the research problem. Findings of the study were that the teaching of the ICT component particularly in Creative and Technology Studies in rural schools of Mwinilunga district faced many challenges such as lack of ICT equipment, poor internet connectivity, limited skilled human resources and lack of supportive infrastructure. To overcome the disablers, various strategies were applied by schools such as use of personal cell phones as teaching devices, use of zonal schools for capacity building points in ICTs and use of ICT expert teachers as resource persons. The study recommends that Government should make provision for computers and computer facilities in schools through collaboration with other education stakeholders, The government through the Ministry General Education should train more teachers in ICT teaching methodologies and should provide all schools with power supply so that teachers in rural areas can effectively implement the teaching of Information Communication.

A pragmatic approach was used to explore the extent to which four selected social science degree programs were relevant for the skill needs of the job market in Zambia. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected from 162 participants using interviews and questionnaires. The SPSS version 24 and Atlas. Ti Version 8 were used to analyse and interpret data within the framework of the Capability Approach. The findings reveal that the relevance of each of the four social science degree programs depend on how key stakeholders in higher education and the labour market perceive them and that graduate employability was affected by factors such as the need and importance of social sciences to the labour market; employer and student perceptions of employability skills in the degree programs; demand for the programs; graduate work readiness, and the availability of graduate job prospects. It could be concluded that although all four social science degree programs were important, their relevance to the needs of Zambia's labour market varied from program to program.

To explore their role in enhancing graduate employability, the study investigated the effectiveness of student internships as pedagogical practices in promoting employability skills amongst graduating students in four Social Science Degree programmes of selected universities in Zambia. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected from 162 participants through the questionnaires and interview guides using a mixed-methods approach. The participants included different actors in the labour industry as critical informants; graduating students taking Social Science Degree Programmes; Lecturers, and Employers. The quantitative and qualitative data were analysed using the SPSS version 24 and Atlas. Ti. Version 8, respectively. This study employed the Human Capability Approach and Human Capital theories. Findings indicated that although internship practices were considered an essential component in the social science degree programmes for skills development, their effectiveness in promoting employability skills amongst graduating students varied from one programme to the other. The findings have implications on how universities and the labour industry could work together to design and implement internship experiences for students in social science degree programmes that are more effective in promoting the acquisition of employability skills in Zambia.

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.

Background: Information and communication technology (ICT) reading interventions can help children with reading difficulties, especially those in resource-constrained environments who otherwise might not have support. Objectives: (1) Provide an overview of ICT reading interventions used globally with primary school children. (2) Provide further information on the subset of studies conducted in majority world countries, describing the interventions used, their impact on reading and challenges faced. Method: A scoping review was used with a search strategy that yielded a total of 49 studies for inclusion in the main review (Objective 1), and a subset of five studies undertaken in the majority world (Objective 2). Results: Most published studies (93.88%, 46 studies) demonstrated positive outcomes of ICT reading interventions on learners' reading. Well-researched programmes with demonstrated effectiveness included GraphoGame, ABRACADABRA, Reading RACES and Chassymo. Only five studies (10.2%) were conducted in the majority world, but all reported in this subset described positive literacy gains through ABRACADABRA and GraphoGame. Conclusion: There is a growing evidence base of ICT reading interventions that could be helpful in addressing the reading crisis in South Africa. Programmes such as ABRACADABRA and GraphoGame demonstrate effectiveness in a variety of contexts and may have a role to play in addressing the reading challenges faced by children in South Africa. Contribution: The review highlighted evidence supporting the use of ICT reading interventions. Evidence of such approaches in South Africa (and other majority world countries) remains limited and requires further evaluation of both existing and innovative, locally developed interventions.

Literature is well-stocked with studies confirming that an instructional approach, self-efficacy, and mathematical reasoning skills are critical for enhancing students' conceptual understanding and achievement in mathematics. However, there has been little emphasis on establishing whether being able to reason mathematically depends only on the instructional approach or students' self-efficacy beliefs about mathematics also play a hidden role. A quasi-experimental study involving 301 grade 11 students from six public secondary schools in one district was carried out to investigate the mediating effect of self-efficacy on the relationship between instruction and students' mathematical reasoning. Participants of the study were selected using the cluster random sampling method. Data were collected before and after the intervention via a mathematical reasoning test and a mathematics self-efficacy beliefs questionnaire. A Parallel Multiple Mediator Model in SPSS using the PROCESS custom dialogue version 3.4 was employed for data analysis. Findings suggest that mathematics self-efficacy and task-specific self-efficacy beliefs collectively and significantly mediate the effect of the instructional approach on students' mathematical reasoning. The Student Teams-Achievement Division (STAD) was found to be an effective approach for enhancing students' mathematical reasoning alongside self-efficacy beliefs. These findings provide evidence on the need to select an instructional approach that does not only focus on developing students' cognitive abilities such as mathematical reasoning but also fosters students' affective attributes such as maths self-efficacy beliefs.

The most recent incarnation of development goals, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), call for a more intentional integration of higher education in development. Research can provide an avenue by which this done, developing relevant solutions to social problems. But who benefits from research, and whose knowledge counts in this process? Formal engagement with Indigenous knowledge, honoring the voices, artifacts, histories, traditions, and "knowledges" of those Indigenous communities that buttress the university can potentially contribute to both the social and environmental justice at the heart of sustainable development. Our research was focused on how African academics at two public universities and community members in The Gambia and Zambia constructed the role of Indigenous knowledge within their community-based research activities. We highlight the specific epistemic strategies academic researchers used to engage Indigenous communities and knowledge, the dilemmas faced in the field, and the connections made through research relationships to sustainable development.

The purpose of this study was to investigate pre-service teachers' knowledge of content and students vis-à-vis their ability to anticipate, identify and clear high school students' misconceptions about inverse and composite functions. To accomplish this goal a case study research design was used to examine one fourth year mathematics education pre-service teacher from one of Zambia's public universities. A case study strategy was preferred for this study because it enables the researcher to focus and have an in-depth investigation of an individual subject in a natural setting. As a data collection tool, the study used a questionnaire containing 7 vignettes comprising 4 inverse function vignettes and 3 composite function vignettes. Data were analyzed based on Ebert's framework for characterizing the level of proficiency of functions and graphs. Findings revealed that the pre-service teacher's level of proficiency of identifying and clearing students' misconceptions was mostly good. Results suggest that vignettes might be useful in mathematical pedagogical courses in teacher education.

Background: The discussions related to access in higher education collate enrolment with the provision of education. Yet, when considering what the university education should provide, some enrolments still restrict capabilities, freedom and rights to quality education. The article argues that the debates regarding access to higher education are incomplete without addressing this divide. Aim: The article aims to expose the injustices that exist in some university spaces in sub-Saharan Africa. Space is politically and ideologically produced, a situation that legitimises a need for the exposure of injustices in terms of access to quality and dignified physical and technological resources for education. The article posits that if the spatial injustices that are embedded in the universities are not exposed, the universities will fight endless battles towards providing adequate access for students and academics. Setting: The article reports on research conducted in three of the seven universities in sub-Saharan Africa that participated in a research project. Method: A multiple qualitative case study design was followed. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews with academics and focus group interviews with students in the universities. Results: Quantity and quality of the physical and technological structures in these universities are dehumanising, unjust and unfair to students and staff who must compete economically with their counterparts in other spheres of society. Conclusion: The physical and technological structures in the universities demand a reconceptualisation of access. Presently, transformation, as it pertains to access and spatial justice, is minimal. A focussed developmental strategy is proposed for the universities in order to improve and provide relevant access to knowledge and skills for relevance and quality.

This article reports the challenges of eLearning faced by under-resourced students in a Zambian public university during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown. The article further examines the interventions made by the university to mitigate the challenges of eLearning faced by under-resourced students. The article is based on empirical data derived from an online closed- and open-ended questionnaire completed by 73 under-resourced students, and an interview with two university staff. The quantitative and qualitative data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis respectively. The article provides evidence that under-resourced students encountered various challenges related to eLearning categorised under the following interlinked themes: technical, environmental, psychological, sociocultural, financial, and material. Lack of ICT facilities/devices (laptops, smartphones, tablets and desktops), internet, electricity, and support systems were the most critical barriers to eLearning. Findings further showed that the sampled university made efforts to mitigate the challenges faced by students during eLearning amid the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown. However, there were no focused interventions to specifically address the actual challenges under-resourced students encountered. Regrettably, this suggests that the needs of under-resourced students were overlooked. Thus, the authors suggest strategies universities should put in place to uphold the participation of all students during eLearning regardless of the circumstances.

Recent experiences of institutions in COVID-19 have heightened the need for research on its impact on higher education institutions globally. This article's authors are from higher learning institutions in Botswana, South Africa and Zambia, which used a blended learning model before COVID19. Most of their students used the traditional part of blended learning, depending on the print, postal service, and face-to-face. These students' access and participation in learning during COVID-19 were negatively affected. Using Digital Equity as a framework, this paper explores the influence of COVID-19 on students' access and participation in online learning. There seem to be significant disparities in access and participation in high-quality technologies and severe educational inequities. This digital inequality impact calls for civic awareness in digital literacy among the citizenry if the gap between the rural and urban, have and have not digital immigrants and digital natives are to be bridged.

Contextual diversity in early childhood development present challenges and opportunities for holistic child development. This study explored home and parental factors associated with early childhood developmental outcomes in rural communities. Using purposive sampling, 175 families with children aged 0-8 (87 girls and 88 boys) were recruited to participate in the study. Parents responded to home and parenting measures assessing early developmental supports at home. Child developmental outcomes (cognition, alphabet knowledge, receptive language, pattern reasoning, attention, and fine motor skills) for 58 children were assessed. Correlations showed positive associations of home and parent measures with child outcomes except socioeconomic status and receptive language. This study highlights presence of nurturance care and stimulatory behaviors in rural communities that reflect variations in child outcomes. Based on findings, it was recommended that parent empowering programs be embedded in practices of childcare that incorporate local knowledge and materials including ways they foster different aspects of early developmental skills.

Religious Education has long been part of Zambia's primary and secondary education curriculum. Though it contains a social justice section, it has been weakly socially transformative. This could be seen to be a major challenge today if Religious Education is to be educational. With a swiftly expanding social situation placing increasing numbers at the margins, it is argued that this frail transformative element in Religious Education results primarily because Religious Education has been assimilated by the main inegalitarian education system, which continues to be misinterpreted as delivering social justice.

Religious Education in Zambia and perhaps more widely needs to become more aware of how religion is expressed culturally. 'Learning about' religion or religions, which is a common practice, has limited value. It needs a 'learning from' dimension. It will be contended that this 'learning from' has been extensively neglected in Zambia. A key reason for this is Religious Education's embodiment in a Western cultural framework. With movement towards 'learning from', but approached though Lonergan's intellectual conversion, Religious Education should enable the student to become more sensitive to different forms of the cultural expression of religion and so enhance his/her capacity to understand religion authentically.

This paper discusses collaborative ethnographic work investigating multilingualism within education in Botswana, Tanzania, and Zambia. The paper takes a reflective perspective on how research is conducted and the role that multilingualism and collaboration can play in the research process itself. As a team of thirteen individuals, working across four countries, we bring a range of multilingual repertoires to the project. In this paper we discuss three principles which have been important in guiding our thinking and practice. These are: "researching multilingually"; "researching collaboratively"; and "researching responsively." We discuss the rationale behind these principles and the role they play in our work. We then discuss challenges and successes which have emerged from implementing these principles in practice and use these to outline a framework that those interested in conducting similar work can use to guide their own thinking and practices. The data discussed in this article consist of a corpus of vignettes from members of the project team. Ten vignettes have been collaboratively analysed adopting a thematic analysis. Tasked with reflecting on, and evaluating, the principles the vignette data provide insight into the opportunities and challenges of working multilingually, collaboratively, and responsively within a team with diverse linguistic repertoires.

Many educational institutions were closed following COVID-19 lockdown. The closure disrupted the smooth running of teaching in educational institutions. Although the impact was felt across the world, it impacted more in low- and middle-income countries due to poor resources for virtual learning. This study explored the barriers to Learning among Higher Education Students during COVID-19 pandemic. The research study utilized an explorative qualitative study approach. Twenty semi-structured interviews were carried out with higher education students. Data were thematically analyzed using the four phases of data analysis in The Silences Framework (TSF) which included researcher review, Silence dialogue, Collective voices, and Researcher reflection. The study found that poor digital literacy, lack of digital learning resources, poor internet connectivity, lack of opportunities for practical lessons and burden of domestic chores were barriers to learning among higher education students during COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. There is need for higher education institutions to invest in ICT to enhance online lesson delivery in challenging pandemic times like COVID-19.