The Real Problem with Zambia’s Education System

A BRIEF INTRODUCTION

For the sake of retaining context, this article works under the assumption that everyone has a working knowledge of the definition of the word education. However, because there are many definitions of education and this will be an important point to note later on in the article, this article will define education as deliberate learning which fits the individual for his adult role in society.

To offer more context on the importance of education, it is key to remember that education comprises all the accumulated knowledge of the ages and all the standards of conduct, and without education, each of these notions and philosophies would be lost.

So with that in mind, let us define what an education system is. According to Young Adulllt, the term “education system” refers to all institutions which are concerned with the education of children, young persons, and adults, in particular preschool/kindergarten, preschool/nursery school, primary school, lower secondary school, vocational upper secondary school, general upper secondary school, or gymnasium/grammar school, high schools, vocational schools, and on tertiary level polytechnics, universities and also institutions of adult education.

A simpler definition is offered by Educology as an education system is an intentional system consisting of at least one teach and one student in a context. It consists an intentional system wherein which one or more teachers is doing the guiding, one or more students is trying to learn, and guidance of learning occurs in a context.
According to The Glossary of Education Reform, the term education system generally refers to public schooling, not private schooling, and more commonly kindergarten through high school programs.

Understanding the Zambian Education System

To a large extent, an education system’s performance may be characterized by its ability to incubate fields of choices for international students

The Zambian education system has a 7-5-4 structure, namely 7 years at primary school, 5 years at junior-higher secondary school (2-3 years respectively), and 4 years on average at university for undergraduate degrees.
In recent years past, many students would go off to work after secondary school because the prevailing culture loosely suggested that their level of education at that point was ‘decent’ enough to contribute to society. However, over the course of the past decade, expectations have slowly changed, recently suggesting that at least a vocational diploma is required for most jobs.

The Zambian Education System heavily proposes the development of entrepreneurship skills in order to realize the full potential of the nation’s people. However, despite the notion befitting the country’s current economic requirement, systems including (testing systems, grading systems, and teaching methodologies) are less than ideal. The testing
system is designed to stretch the mental and intellectual extents of a student’s reasoning, understanding of the outlined subject matter, and overall knowledge of the field. This is evidenced by the theoretical requirement by the learning institutions for the student to engage in broader research than the scope of the things taught in classrooms. In hindsight, the expectation of students to research independently beyond the scope of the subject matter taught is ideal for the development of an individual’s knowledge base, however, in retrospect the notion is flawed in that it disregards the possibility that the majority of the students being taught may not have access to source material due to a number of factors including, but not limited to, finances, convenience, systems implemented to guide students beyond the classroom setup, etc. Conversely, the grading system and marking criteria setup by examining bodies is focused on locating the flaws in a student’s performance and this is caused by a number of factors including, but not limited to incompatibility between syllabuses actually taught in schools, and syllabuses used in reference to the marking key. Finally, the teaching methodologies used in the Zambian education process is less than ideal. The focus of teaching methodologies, as stated earlier, is for students to conduct their own thorough and independent research beyond the scope of the subject matters taught within the classroom environment. The result of this is fewer students creating their own fundamental basis for the subject matter who may have been privileged with the necessary requirements to carry out this research such as convenience of time, discipline, finances to access online and offline libraries, etc.

All-in all, the Zambian Education system heavily suggests that it may be inclined more toward a design that causes and/or expects students to fail. It could be argued that there may be flaws within the core premise of this article’s ideas, however, the overwhelming evidence suggests otherwise, proving that there really are massive problems with the education system and the problem doesn’t seem to be going away. According to a study by The Adsum, Zambia’s literacy rate stands at 53% with illiteracy much more pronounced in females, while the average illiteracy rate of neighboring countries such as Kenya were at 69.1% by 2006 according to a report by Rodger Tumo on Kass FM. Also, according to the 2015 living conditions monitoring survey, it was revealed that 54.4% of the country’s population is poor while 13.6% live in moderate poverty. The overwhelming evidence heavily suggests that the conditions of living don’t seem to be getting any better and this is due to the education system’s incapability of producing forward thinkers and problem solvers at a faster rate than the decrease in the country’s economic standards.
Now, for clarity’s sake, this article isn’t to belittle the education system of Zambia. The goal is to isolate problem areas and provide suggestions on how to better the system for the benefit of the country as a whole.

With this in mind as a very brief summary, it becomes more evident that there are many flaws within Zambia’s own education system and that many things need to be done in order to perfect the education system. So, what then constitutes a good education system?

What Characterizes a Good Education System?

A good education system is assessed by its ability to elevate a person along with his/her social group. Hong Kong, South Korea, and Finland have some of the best education systems in the world, and an article by Caroline McClatchey on BBC News provides an accumulates list of suggestions on why these countries excel greatly in their globally recognized education systems. To provide some context on the matter, the article by McClatchey outlines statements from professors from these education system classes, the most prominent of which follow thus:

• Connection Between exam and the curriculum by Prof. Paul Morris, from the Institute of Education, University of London, who specializes on East Asian Education Systems. In his statement concerning South Korea’s Education Systems, he explains that there is a prevalence of testing and examinations in South Korea’s education system which is embedded within the culture. He goes on to write that the curriculum is effectively defined by what is examined. The amazing thing behind this is how extreme the culture respects the education system in that places come to a standstill on days of public examinations such as the university entrance, traffic is stopped and places are diverted to minimize noise for students. Their curriculum is dominated by languages, math, and science.
• A Culture of Diligence: Yet another fine point raised by Prof Paul Morris. In this statement, he writes the children are expected to put the time in. There’s a belief that people have differing abilities but everyone has the capability to get there—it might just take some a lot longer. He continues to write saying although the classroom has become more interactive in the last 10 to 20 years, a South Korean lesson would be viewed by people in the UK as didactic, orderly, and teacher-led. This statement on diligence is only seconded by a Prof. Bob Adamson, head of the department of international education and lifelong learning at the Hong Kong Institute of Education. In his statement subtitled “Emphasis on Diligence”, he outlines how Hong Kong’s education system places so much emphasis on diligence and not natural ability, but hard work to build what Hong Kong currently is today. Thus, in conclusion to this point on what makes for a good education system, it could be outline that the general consensus on what a good education should focus on should follow thus:
• Student Enrollment & Student Retaining: The key to a good education system should rely on its ability to enroll students and focus on retaining its existing student to completion of their studies.
• Capability to Nurture Student Interests: An education system must have the inherent ability to nurture a student’s interests and building on top of what the student already possesses.
• Ability to Elevate a Student’s Mind: The education system should possess the ability to broaden a student’s mind by peaking his interests, building a foundational basis of knowledge atop them, and opening his mind to thinking independently as a problem solver. Hence, placing emphasis on developing math skills. According to notions proposed by Amanda Riley’s book ‘The Smartest Kids in the World’ where she delves into the success of the best education systems in the world (i.e. South Korea, Finland, and Poland), she suggests that students in these successful education systems are provided with essay questions rather than multiple choice exams, explanations rather than straight answers, and students working collaboratively on problem solving.
• The goal should be reward students for their academics and not to fail students. An education system should focus on rewarding a student’s creativity, problem solving skills, and broadened mind as opposed to his ability to memory large volumes of writing in order to pass an exam.
• Teachers should be highly prized: In Riley’s book, she writes that it should be difficult to be a teacher and the job should be socially prestigious. In Finland, admission to an education program is as demanding as medical school; graduates must earn a master’s degree and conduct original research to obtain it. Students, parents, and bureaucrats respect teachers, because they know how hard it is to become one.
• Extra help should be widely available not just from teachers, but also as in-school incentives provided by the schools themselves. In Riley’s book, she writes that all Finnish students receive some level of remedial or special education by the time they turn 17, whether it’s extra attention from teachers or specialized curriculum aimed at improving language, reading, or math skills or overcoming learning difficulties, which are treated as temporary.

The Top 5 Most Iconic Education Systems in the World and Why

In the past chapters, we have looked at how the Zambian education system works, some suggestions on where it lacks, as well as what characterizes some of the best education systems in the world. Now in this chapter, the article will discuss the most iconic education systems in the world. It should be noted that the order in which they are listed is not a measure of an education system’s ranking according to the International Standard Classification of Education, but it does follow a standard proposed by Pearson—a British Education and Publishing company and outline why these education systems work as well as they do.

The goal of the list below is to outline the significance, while loosely maintaining their global ranking to provide some perspectives on how Zambia’s own education system can be redesigned.

The United States of America’s Education System: Although the American Education System ranks 14th in the world, their carefully designed curriculum, education structure, and grading system does bare great significance to its practical approach at producing world standard problem solvers. The reason for
this is while in other countries students learn only what the teacher instructs, the U.S. education system offers a more open system which allows students and teachers to discuss subject matters and focus more on idea. American classroom environments are very dynamic expecting students to share their opinions, argue their points, and participate in class discussions and give presentations. Textbooks and other reading materials are provided weekly by professors because students are expected to keep up-to-date with the required readings and homework allowing them to participate in class discussions and understand the lectures better. The beauty of this system is that the grading system is usually based on class participation requirements with students expected to participate in class discussions especially seminar classes, midterm examinations given during class time, one or more research or term papers or laboratory reports which must be submitted for evaluation, possible short exams or quizzes, and final examinations held at the end of the final class meeting.

The UK Education System: This is ranked the 6th amongst the best education systems in the world and for good reason. The education system in the UK is divided into four main parts including primary education, secondary education, further education, and higher education. Children in the UK have to legally attend primary and secondary education which runs from about 5 years old until the student is 16 years old. The education system in the UK is also split into ‘key stages’ which follows:
a. Key stage 1: 5 to 7-years-old
b. Key Stage 2: 7 to 11-years-old
c. Key Stage 3: 11 to 14-years-old
d. Key Stage 4: 14 to 16-years-old
Generally, key stages 1 and 2 will be undertaken at primary school and at 11 years old a student will move onto secondary school and finish key stages 3 and 4. Students are assessed at the end of each stage. The most important assessment occurs at age 16 when students pursue their GCSE’s and once complete, have the option to go onto further education (an extension of a student’s education to take their A-Levels, GNVQ’s, BTEC’s, etc. and remains a MUST for all students planning on advancing to higher education) and then potential higher education, or finish school and go into the working world.

South Korean Education System: South Korean undoubtedly has the best education system in the world ranking number 1 amongst the world’s best education systems. The famously acclaimed best education system in the world places strong focus on encouraging students to be more creative, recognizing strength beyond traditional exam subjects, yet at the same time remains highly demanding with high pressure for students wanting to progress to university. Pre-school, though optional for children, is offered from age three. Primary school, however, is compulsory from the age of five or six depending on space and a child’s ability. This stage of schooling is provided free of charge, and once a child of this age is registered with authorities, parents/guardians are given a letter telling them which school the child should attend and lasts 6 grades.
Middle school begins when students are around 12-years-old, and lasts three years. Middle school is also offered free of charge and covers both compulsory and elective subjects. For the purpose of entry exams into higher secondary education, the student’s whole middle school career is considered, taking the pressure off the final exams.
Finally, secondary schools provide children ages from 15 to select which specialization they want to go into (i.e. they can choose a school which offers arts, music, foreign language, etc.) although stiff competition is faced. At this stage, even though school not free and has to be paid for, there are incentives put in place for lower earning households. Secondary school is not necessarily considered ‘compulsory’ in South Korea, however, if a child wishes to proceed to college, he/she will need to take the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT).

Japan’s Education System: Japan’s education system is globally ranked to having only the second best education system in the world next to South Korea and, as Japan’s present-day economy suggests, is for good reason. Japanese people are recognized globally for their intelligence, strong health, politeness, innovativeness, and wellness, and the factor that plays the most prominent role in that reason is their incredible education system. In Japanese schools, students don’t take any exams until they reach fourth grade (around the age of 10), but only take small tests. This revolves around the belief that the goal for the first 3 years of school is not to judge the child’s knowledge or learning, but to establish good manners and to develop their character. Children are taught to respect other people and to gentle to animals and nature. They also learn how to be generous, empathetic, and compassionate. Besides this, children are taught qualities like grit, self-control, and justice.
In Japanese schools, students have to clean the classrooms, cafeteria, and even toilets all by themselves. When cleaning, they are divided into small groups and assigned tasks that rotate throughout the year. The education system believes that requiring students to clean up after themselves teaches them to work in a team and help each other. This teaches them to respect their own work and the work of others.
Students are provided healthy and balanced meals by the education system on menus that have been carefully prepared by qualified chefs and health care professionals. All classmates eat their meals together with their teacher within the classroom.
Apart from conventional subjects such as math and sciences, Japanese students are also taught poetry and calligraphy which roots a deep respect and love for their own culture.

Finland’s Education System: Finland’s education system is globally ranked number 5 behind South Korea, Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong respectively. The reason for this ranking is because Finland’s intellectual and educational reforms have completely revolutionized their education system. Among many other reasons, the Big Think suggests the reason for Finland’s highly successfully education system is due in large to factors including:
a. Finland has no standardization test. The only exception is something called the National Matriculation Exam, which is a voluntary test for students at the end of an upper-secondary school (equivalent to an American high school)
b. All teachers are required to have a master’s degree before entering the profession. Teaching programs are the most rigorous and selective professional schools in the entire country.
c. While most education systems around the world view the education system as a competition, Finns don’t worry about arbitrary or artificial merit-based systems. The Finnish education system fosters an education system that encourages cooperation and not competition.
With the above point realized, it becomes more and more evident that the success of a country relies heavily on the success of its education system. So, what then are the consequences of having a bad education system within a country?

The Consequence of Zambia’s Current Education System

Investment in education is investment in people and in a nation’s future—C.M. Rubin “The Real Alice in Wonderland”
According to a short article on Reference, poor education can have devastating effects on the economy such as fewer job opportunities and an increase in the amount of people living in poverty. There is a direct correlation between children who live in poverty and a poor education.

This is evidenced by the poverty rate in the country as of 2018, thus outlining the correlation between Zambia’s poor education system and the number of people living in poverty.

The Zambian government puts great emphasis in attempting to build a more entrepreneurial generation but neglects the fact that this isn’t a new concept. This has been the subject of Zambia’s education system for decades now and is what has resulted in Zambia’s economy being where it is today.

The focus on entrepreneurship, though great, is not nearly enough in solving the country’s current economic situations today. An entrepreneurial mind can only go as far as creativity and innovative problem solving allows it to—two of many other factors the Zambian education system neglects. If the country wishes to change the standard of living it will require a complete reform of the education system. Will it be costly? Without a doubt. Will it have consequence? Perhaps, but ask yourself this rather: Zambia has been functioning on the same economic principals taught in our current education system (which has only changed slightly over the past three decades) and the result of decades is what we live in today. Would restructuring our current education system do more harm than the direction the economy is going will do if it keeps educating its citizens the same way it has been the past three decades?

What Should Zambia’s Education System Really Look Like

Zambia is a cultural nation, hosting 72 distinct tribes living within one country in harmony. Slowly, however, those cultural traditions that make each of the tribes as distinct as they are today are slowly fading away with the imposition of other cultures within its own.

On top of a rich cultural background, Zambia is pool of untapped natural resources that its citizens today do not know how to exploit. And even for those who may have the knowledge to exploit them, don’t have the necessary resources such as financing and support to exploit them.

As outline by some of the best, globally ranked education systems in the world, the following are some suggestion to a possible restructure of Zambia’s education system:

Focus on providing a rich cultural background, connection, and respect for individual traditions and tribes. Although Zambia comprises many different tribes whose traditions may differ, many of them overlap and the core aspect of what makes every tribe as cultural as it is remains similar. This reestablishment of tribal culture would provide a deep personal respect and sense of belonging to every Zambian, as well as open up their connection to the resources around them.

Focus on encouraging cooperation, not competition: In today’s current education system, grade scores are published as a subliminal message for students to do better and for the best in the class to be encouraged. This method, though it has some merit, does more harm than good because it encourages a competitive sense which students carry on with them even after the completion of school programs into work environments and personal lives. Nurturing a competitive mindset fosters the illusion that citizens would be better rewarded if they evidently showed that they were doing significantly better than other people, thus creating a more selfish culture than one who’s focus is on working together as a community and as a nation.

Entrepreneurship is nothing without creativity and problem solving: students should be taught problem solving skills. What the Zambian culture needs to understand is that creativity is a fun process and not something one need force out of or into a person. Creativity occurs naturally. Thus the emphasis of the education system should be to inspire student’s interests and inspire creativity, while teaching them entrepreneurship skills.

Invest in teachers: Finland, being by far the best example of where teachers are highly respected and invested in.

Emulate aspects of some of the world’s best education systems.

Conclusion

An education system should be designed to impart knowledge to students who are not only willing to learn that particular field of study, but also to aid their own personal social development, social integration, determination of status, route for social mobility, and development of personality. The goal of an education system should be to provide a fundamental basis of knowledge for society to function by for their own development, with the focus being on nurturing their individual talents, intellectual inclinations, and building craftsmanship.

These excerpts were culled from my research paper titled The African Cultural Mindset which will be made available for download on my website soon.