EDUCATIONAL MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION
EDUCATION MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION
Definition of terms
i) Management
- Management is defined by Haimmann (1991) as the process of getting things done through
and with people, by directing and motivating the efforts of individuals towards common
objectives.
- Blandford (2004) also defined management as the achievement of institutional objectives
through other employees.
- Management involves a group of people who use their skills and talents in running the
complete system of the organisation.
- Management is an art; it is the practice of bringing a group of individuals together to create
an end product that is greater than the sum of its parts.
- Management is predominantly the process of making sure that an organisation's employees
are motivated, engaged, and trained sufficiently to do their jobs and that they work well
together as a team.
- Simply put, management can be understood as the skill of getting the work done through
others. It is not exactly same as administration, which alludes to a process of effectively
administering the entire organisation.
The most important point that differentiates management from the administration is that
management is concerned with directing or guiding the operations of the organisation,
whereas administration stresses on laying down the policies and establishing the objectives of
the organisation.
- Broadly speaking, management takes into account the directing and controlling functions of
the organisation, whereas administration is related to planning and organising functions.
ii) Administration
Some of the definitions of administration include the following:
- Administration is a systematic process of administering the management of a business
organisation, an educational institution like school or college, government office or any other
organisation. The main function of administration is the formulation of plans, policies, and
procedures, setting up of goals and objectives, enforcing rules and regulations, etc.
- Administration lays down the fundamental framework of an organisation, within which the
management of the organisation functions.
- The nature of administration is bureaucratic. It is a broader term as it involves forecasting,
planning, organising and decision-making functions at the highest level of the enterprise.
Administration represents the top layer of the management hierarchy of the organisation.
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Administration is also said to be an established hierarchy of individuals who report to levels
of the hierarchy above them, work with the individuals on their level, and direct those below
them.
Administration is predominantly the process of making sure that an organisation runs
efficiently. The emphasis is on compliance, infrastructure, operations, resources, etc.
Administration is execution part; people working here make sure that any planning is
properly executed without any break down.
NB
a) Management and administration are at times used interchangeably; however, they are two
different levels of the organisation.
b) The administration is the top level of the organisation with the decisive functions. They are
responsible for determining policies and objectives of the organisation or the firm.
Management, on the other hand, is the middle level executive function. They implement the
policies and objectives as decided by the administration.
c) With the passage of time, the distinction between these two terms is getting blurred (unclear),
as management includes planning, policy formulation, and implementation as well, thus
covering the functions of administration.
d) Planning, organising, leading, motivating, controlling, coordination and decision making are
the major activities performed by the management. Management brings together 5M’s of the
organisation, i.e. Men, Material, Machines, Methods, and Money. It is a result oriented
activity, which focuses on achieving the desired output.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION
- Administration decides ‘What should be done’ and ‘When it should be done’, while
management decides ‘Who will do the work?’ and ‘How will it be done?’
- The work of administrators involves formulation of plans, framing policies and setting
objectives, while managers work towards putting plans and policies into actions.
- Administrators represent owners, who get a return on the capital invested by them, while
managers represent employees, who work for remuneration.
- The functions of administrators are Legislative and Determinative, while those of managers
are Executive and Governing.
Characteristics of Management
To further enhance our understanding of the term management, we shall now examine some of
its major characteristics.
- Management is an activity: management is an activity that concerns the effective use of all
resources both human and non-human. It is the driving force that inspires an undertaking. It
creates the conditions and relationships that bring about the full use of resources.
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Management is Purposeful and goal-oriented: the main concern of management is the
achievement of clearly defined goals or objectives. Management is said to be successful only
to the extent to which these objectives are achieved.
Management is a Social Process: organisations are social entities, as they are constituted of
people. As such, management has to control, organise and motivate people and create a
favourable climate for their development.
Management is getting things done: a manager does not usually do the operating work
himself, but gets the work done with and through people. A manager has to direct people,
harness talents through training and procure technical, human, and psychological skills
(intellectual capital).
Management is an intangible force: though intangible, management is not abstract but a
social skill which is evident by the quality of the organisation in terms of the efficiency and
effectiveness of its operations.
Management is an Integrating Process: management brings together people, machines and
materials to carry out the operation of the organization and achieve a set of given objectives.
It is a result-oriented process.
Management is a Universal Activity: the techniques and tools of management are
universally applicable. Managers perform the same functions regardless of their position in
the management hierarchy, type of enterprise or location of enterprise.
Management is a social science: the science of management is universally accepted as a
distinct discipline. It has assumed professional character, hence requiring the use of specific
knowledge, skill and practice. It utilises certain fundamental concepts, theories, tools and
techniques that constitute the subject matter of management. It therefore satisfies all the
conditions of a profession.
Management can be said to be both a science and an art.
 It is a science because it is based on a set of organized knowledge founded on proper
 scientific findings and exact principles. It is part of the branch of science known as Social
Science just like sociology, economics or history.
Management is also a behavioral science in which its theories and principles are based on
the situation.
 Management can also be an art. An art refers to the best way of doing something.
Management can be said to be the process of directing scientific knowledge to the
accomplishment of objectives.
THE BASIC FUNCTIONS OF MANAGEMENT
The job of management is to help an organisation make the best use of its resources to achieve its
goals. They do so by performing essential managerial functions which include:
- Planning: It is the process of setting goals and objectives and showing how these goals and
objectives will be accomplished.
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Organizing: This refers to the process of establishing a structure of working relationships. It
involves grouping people into departments according to specific tasks performed and
deciding how best to coordinate organisational resources.
Directing: This is the process of communicating what has been planned by leading and
motivating the efforts of people towards attainment of goals.
Supervising: This function refers to the process of filling positions with the right kind of
people in the right job at the right time.
Evaluation: This refers to the process of evaluating or analysing how well an organisation is
achieving its goals and how to maintain and improve performance.
MANAGERIAL ROLES
A role is a set of specific tasks that a person is expected to perform in the position he/she holds.
According to Henry Mintzberg, managers play three major roles which are:
i) Interpersonal roles which are interpreted as,
- Figurehead: a manager a representation or a symbol of the organisation. They determine the
direction or mission of the organisation. They inform stakeholders such as employees about
what the organisation is seeking to achieve. They put up appearances on behalf of the
organisation e.g. receiving guests at the workplace or attending an employee’s wedding.
- Leader: a manager occupies a position of influence, hence has to inspire and encourage
others to perform. They train, coach, counsel and mentor subordinates to reach their full
potential.
- Liaison: managers are the link between the organisation and the larger society. They deal
with people outside the organisation such as suppliers and other stakeholders and inside by
coordinating the activities of people in different departments.
ii) Informational roles: these roles are closely associated with the tasks
necessary to obtain and transmit information. The roles are:
Monitor: managers analyze information from inside and outside the organisation so that he
can effectively control and organise people and other resources.
- Disseminator: managers transmit information to other members in the organization so as to
influence their work attitudes and behaviour.
- Spokesperson: managers use information to promote the organisation so that people inside
and outside the organisation can respond positively to it
iii) Decisional roles: managers’ roles include planning and laying strategies for
achieving goals and utilising resources. They act as:
- Entrepreneurs: managers decide which projects or programmes to initiate and how to invest
resources to increase organisational performance.
- Disturbance handler: managers assume responsibility for handling unexpected events or
crisis that threatens the organisations access to resources. In this situation a manager also
assumes the roles of figurehead and leader to mobilise employees to help secure the
resources needed to avert the problem.
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Resource allocator: managers decide how best to use available resources to increase
organisational performance.
Negotiator: managers work out agreements and contracts that will operate in the best interest
of the organisation.
Importance of Management Knowledge
- Knowledge of the basic principles and techniques of management is important for a number
of reasons.
- To increase efficiency: development and use of management principles improves
managerial efficiency. Managers can apply established guidelines to help solve problems
without having to resort to trial and error – which is risky and costly to the organisation or
institution.
- Although experience is important, it is not enough as no two situations or problems are the
same nor can be solved using the same methods. Hence an understanding of management
theory, principles and concepts allows the manager to see and understand what otherwise
would remain unseen. Awareness of management principles helps managers to avoid
mistakes.
- To understand the nature of management: an understanding of the concepts, principles
and techniques of management enables managers to analyze the managerial job and train
others. The knowledge of these fundamentals acts as a checklist of the meaning of
management. With the accumulation of management knowledge, management training is
simplified.
- To achieve social goals: development of management knowledge and its skillful use in the
management of people and material resources can have a revolutionary impact on society.
PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Fayol’s 14 Principles of Management
- Specialisation/Division of Labor: by specialising in a limited set of activities, workers
become more efficient and increase their output.
- Authority/Responsibility: managers must have the authority to issue commands, but with
that authority comes the responsibility to ensure that the work gets done.
- Discipline: workers must obey orders if the business is to run smoothly. But good discipline
is the result of effective leadership: workers must understand the rules and management
should use penalties judiciously if workers violate the rules.
- Unity of Command: an employee should receive orders only from one boss to avoid
conflicting instructions.
- Unity of Direction: each unit or group has only one boss and follows one plan so that work
is coordinated.
- Subordination of Individual Interest: the interests of one person should never take
precedence over what is best for the company as a whole.
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Remuneration: workers must be fairly paid for their services.
Centralisation: centralisation refers to decision making: specifically, whether decisions are
centralized (made by management) or decentralised (made by employees). Fayol believed
that whether a company should centralize or decentralise its decision making depended on
the company’s situation and the quality of its workers.
Line of Authority: the line of authority moves from top management down to the lowest
ranks. This hierarchy is necessary for unity of command, but communication can also occur
laterally if the bosses are kept aware of it. The line should not be overextended or have too
many levels.
Order: orderliness refers both to the environment and materials as well as to the policies and
rules. People and materials should be in the right place at the right time.
Equity: fairness (equity), dignity, and respect should pervade the organization. Bosses must
treat employees well, with a “combination of kindliness and justice.”
Stability of Tenure: organizations do best when tenure is high (i.e. turnover is low). People
need time to learn their jobs, and stability promotes loyalty. High employee turnover is
inefficient.
Initiative: allowing everyone in the organization the right to create plans and carry them out
will make them more enthusiastic and will encourage them to work harder.
Esprit de Corps: harmony and team spirit across the organization builds morale and unity.
THEORIES OF MANAGEMENT
Theories are perspectives with which people make sense of their world experiences.
A theory is a systematic grouping of interdependent concepts (mental images of anything formed
by generalization from particulars), and principles (generalizations or hypotheses that are tested
for accuracy and appear to be true to reflect or explain reality) that give a framework to, or tie
together, a significant area of knowledge.
Contemporary theories of management tend to account for and help interpret the rapidly
changing nature of today’s organizational environments. Let us take a look at some of them
a) Classical Management Theory
The proponents of this theory are:
 Henri Fayol - emphasis on the structure of an organisation (organise command, coordinate
and control)
 FW Taylor – stress on efficiency and productivity resulting in total quality.(what is good for
the firm)
 Max Weber - hierarchy of authority and a system of rules.
Weber presented three types of legitimate authority as follows:
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i) Traditional authority: where acceptance of those in authority arises from tradition and
custom.
ii) Charismatic authority: where acceptance arises from loyalty to, and confidence in, the
personal qualities of the ruler.
iii) Rational-legal authority: where acceptance arises from the office, or position, of the person
in authority as bounded by the rules and procedures of the organisation.
b) Human Relations Theory (Elton Mayo)
The human relations theory emphasises on human behaviour within organisations. It states
that people's needs are decisive factors in achieving an organisation's effectiveness.
Managers can/should consider the needs and aspirations of individual subordinates.
e) Neo-Human Relations Theory (Abraham Maslow)
Focus on human motivation which will result in satisfaction and fulfilment.
f) Theory X and Theory Y (McGregor)
McGregor perceived managers as making two sets of assumptions about employees as
follows:
Theory X
Theory Y
Employees are lazy
Employees like working
Employees avoid responsibility
Employees accept / seek responsibility
Employees therefore need control (coercion)
Employees need space
imagination (ingenuity)
Schein type: 'rational economic man'
Schein type: 'self-actualizing man'
to
develop
g) System Theories.
These theories focus on the complexity and interdependence of relationships within the
system.
A system is composed of regularly interacting or interdependent groups of activities/parts
that form the emergent whole.
They help us understand the interactions between individuals, groups, organizations,
communities, larger social systems, & their environments and help us enhance our
understanding of how human behavior operates in a context.
A system is a part, and it is a whole, at the same time.
h) Contingency Theories
This theory argues that there is no 'one best way' to structure an organization. An
organization will face a range of choices when determining how it should be structured, how
it should be organized, how it should be managed. Successful organizations adopt structures
that are an appropriate response to a number of variables, or contingencies, which influence
both the needs of the organization and how it works.
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CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (CPD)
Schools have become centers for teacher professional development in recent years. School-based
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and the development of schools as learning
communities have become part of the discourse on CPD.
- Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is a systematic process of lifelong learning and
professional development, aimed at assisting the educators to maintain and enhance their
knowledge, skills and competence as teachers and researchers through emphasis on the
process of education, translation of learning in the workplace and professional development.
- CPD in its broadest sense encompasses all those activities that help teachers to improve their
capacity to become more effective instructors, as well as perform other parts of their
multifaceted tasks such as conducting research, contributing to administrative activities and
writing publishable materials.
- A second important dimension of the current discourse on CPD is that it is teachers’
responsibility as professionals to engage in CPD throughout their careers.
- Other features of current discourse include action research, enquiry-based learning, evidencebased practice, networking, professional conversations, mentoring, coaching, communities of
practice, shared practice, reflective practice and accreditation.
- CPD is a tool for improving the educational vitality of our institutions through attention to
the competencies needed by individual teachers and to the institutional policies required to
promote academic excellence.
- Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is widely acknowledged to be of great
importance in the life of schools, contributing to professional and personal development for
staff and to improvement in teaching and learning.
- Professional development consists of all natural learning experiences and those conscious
and planned activities which are intended to be of direct or indirect benefit to the individual,
group or school, which constitute, through these, to the quality of education in the
classroom”.
- Great teachers help create great students. In fact, research shows that an inspiring and
informed teacher is the most important school-related factor influencing student
achievement, so it is critical to pay close attention to how we train and support both new and
experienced educators.
It is critical for veteran teachers to have ongoing and regular opportunities to learn from each
other. Ongoing professional development keeps teachers up-to-date on new research on how
children learn, emerging technology tools for the classroom, new curriculum resources, and
more. The best professional development is ongoing, experiential, collaborative, and connected
to and derived from working with students and understanding their culture.
EDUCATION BOARDS
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Education Boards have been established as part of the decentralization programme. They are
the main vehicle through which communities are enabled to participate in educational
planning and decision-making.
Boards are also intended to allow for more rapid reaction and action to problems and
opportunities that occur at the points of delivery, thereby improving the learning environment
and consequently the quality of education provided.
Nature of Education Boards
Education Boards are not business ventures that generate resources to which the members
can look up for handsome remuneration.
These are institutions that have been established to provide a platform on which communities
can participate in the planning and decision-making for the education of their children, under
the spirit of community service.
This is all about democratic governance. Therefore, Education Boards should be viewed as
non-profit community service bodies.
Roles, Responsibilities and Functions of the Governance Body
The primary roles, responsibilities and functions of the Governance body are:
Formulating local policies for regulating the management of the institution for which the
Board was established.
Ensuring that the Board has a mission statement that has a vision.
Establishing the long-term goals of the Board and ensuring that strategic objectives and plans
are established to achieve those goals.
Ensuring that the management structures are in place to achieve those objectives.
Guiding the implementation of strategic decisions, actions and advising management as
appropriate.
Reviewing and adopting of annual budgets for the financial performance of the Board and
monitoring Board performance and results on monthly basis.
Ensuring preparation of annual and half-yearly financial statements, communicating and
disclosing information to stakeholders.
Overseeing implementation of adequate control systems and relevant compliances with the
law, governance, accounting and auditing standards.
General Principles of Education Boards Governance
Education Boards are guided by the following general principles:
Achieving increased quality and effective education delivery in Zambia.
Enhanced legitimacy, responsibility and responsiveness to the needs of the community.
Therefore, it is important that the Board is mindful of being transparent, accountable and
focused to achieve the intended results.
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Governance as an inclusive approach can shape the future of the Board and the lives of its
clients who are either pupils or students. On the other hand it is also the responsibility of the
client to ensure that the Board is consistently held accountable and responsible for the
efficient and effective governance of the institution.
VARIOUS RESPONSIBILITIES IN SCHOOL
1. The Head teacher
All education managers should be pre-occupied with the desire to see that the schools under
their charge are successful in maintaining high achievement levels in such areas as student
discipline, school examinations and extra curricular activities, teacher and student discipline,
school physical environment and the maintenance of financial and material resources.
The head teacher at a High School or School for Continuing Education reports to the Board
and to the District Education Board Secretary. A Head teacher at a Basic School reports to
the District Education Board Secretary (DEBS).Their attributes and functions are:
- He /she should be a person of sober habits exemplary manners, dress and speech and should
be communicative.
- Should be a person of balanced interests and must always be found at the school to give
guidance in all sectors of the school’s life.
- He /she must not be desk bound but should supervise school work of Heads of Department
(HODs) and other teachers.
- He /she should give responsibilities to all teachers without bias.
- He /she will serve as secretary for both Education Board and Parent -Teacher - Association.
- Managing and coordinating effectively the provision of all the academic programmes in
order to ensure quality education is delivered at the school.
- Managing and coordinating effectively all the administrative functions in order to facilitate
smooth running of the school.
- Monitoring and evaluating regularly the delivery of academic programmes in order to
determine their impact and recommend appropriate interventions.
- Interpreting correctly, policy on the delivery of high/basic school education in order to create
awareness.
- Managing staff and utilisation of other resources at the school in order to facilitate the
attainment of set objectives.
Good education managers know that the responsibility of achieving high/basic school
effectiveness does not lie only with the head-teacher, but with all stakeholders of a particular
school, who work collaboratively as a team to meet the aspirations of the school.
2. The Deputy Head teacher
The deputy head teacher reports to the head teacher. Some of the roles of the deputy head
teacher are;
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The deputy head teacher must be prepared to take the place of the Head teacher in his/her
absence
 Deputy Head teachers in Grade 1 and 2 schools should not be full-time class teachers.
They should, however, have a part-time teaching time-table.
 In Grade 3 and 4 schools, the deputy head teacher may be responsible for a class.
The deputy head teacher will be responsible for:
 Checking class registers.
 Checking classroom stock when a new teacher is transferred and when a new teacher
takes over a class.
 Receipting and issuing of school supplies.
 Punctuality of teachers and learners.
 Inspection of school buildings, grounds, lavatories and reporting repairs required.
 Teaching any class when the class teacher is absent or late for duty.
 First Aid treatment when required.
The Deputy Head teacher will work with the Head teacher on the following matters;
 Preparing School Time-Tables.
 Dealing with transfer forms.
 Dealing with parents Allocation of teachers to classes.
 Checking teachers’ preparation and recording of work.
 Checking pupils’ exercise books for content and quality of the written work.
 Organizing staff meetings and PTA meetings organizing Open Days and displays of
children’s work for the benefit of parents.
 Managing and coordinating effectively the provision of all the academic programmes in
order to ensure quality is delivered at the school.
 Managing and coordinating effectively all the administrative functions in order to
facilitate smooth running of the school.
 Monitoring and evaluating regularly the delivery of academic programmes in order to
determine their impact and recommend appropriate interventions.
 Interpreting correctly, policy on the delivery of high/basic school education in order to
create awareness.
 Managing staff and utilisation of other resources at the school in order to facilitate the
attainment of set objectives.
3. The Head of Department/Section
- The Head of Department/Section (HOD / HOS) is a senior teacher responsible for cocoordinating teachers in different subject areas. HODs and HOSs form a very important
structure that assists their respective departments and the monitoring of school performance
in the subjects of their specialisation. They provide professional guidance to colleagues in
their departments.
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Some of the roles as head of department/section are;
 Regularly monitors the preparation of the schemes and records of work to ensure proper
implementation of teaching programmes.
 Ensures that the teaching and learning materials are available in the subject group in
order to facilitate effective teaching and learning.
 Plans and co-ordinates regular professional meetings for serving teachers in order to
enhance standards of teaching
 Supervises effectively teachers and provides advice in the subject group
 Teaches effectively in order to impart the relevant knowledge, skills and attitudes.
4. Class Teachers
Teachers are grouped according to their areas of specialization. The following are some of
the most important roles of the teacher:
- They are responsible for the teaching and direct supervision of the learning of learners in
their respective classrooms.
- They are responsible to their heads of department or senior teachers in respect of preparation
of schemes of work, lesson plans, records of work and progress reports of their learners.
5. Learners
Learners are the major beneficiaries of all that goes on in school governance. Consultation or
interaction with them may be facilitated through the prefect structure.
6. Support Staff
Every category of workers in the board has a responsibility, in their respective capacities, to
contribute to the smooth management of the institution and in maintaining the standards
desired by all.
7. The Community
The representation of the community on the Boards is the first step to guarantee their
participation in uplifting standards of education. Generally, the community will be expected
to respect and jealously protect institutional property and regard it as theirs.
STATUTORY BODIES / REGULATORY INSTITUTIONS AND TOOLS FOR
TEACHERS
STATUTORY BODIES
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Statutory bodies are established by acts which Parliament and State Legislatures; they are entities
that are shaped by an Act of Parliament or state legislatures and set up by the government to
consider the data (facts) and make judgments in some area of activity.
The statutory bodies may be established to permit a certain level of independence from
government; however, the government is still accountable to guarantee that taxpayers funds
expended in the operations of statutory bodies are spent in the most, effective and economical
way. All statutory bodies are established and operate under the provisions of their own enabling
legislation, which sets out the purpose and specific powers of the agency.
EDUCATION ACT 1966
From the time of independence to date the Zambian education system has gone through major
transformations which include:
- Education policy formulation and review
- Construction of learning institutions at various levels
- Capacity building and many others.
Soon after independence the government came up with an education policy known as the
Education Act of 1966. This served as a policy that guided the provision of education at the time.
The aims/objectives of this policy were:
- Provision of free education to enhance manpower development.
- Abolish segregation of all forms in schools.
- Construction of secondary schools in all districts.
- Establishment of the University of Zambia.
- Construction of colleges to train personnel.
i) EDUCATION ACT 2011
This was enacted by Parliament in 2011 and the objectives of this act are:
- To regulate the provision of accessible, equitable and qualitative education
- To provide for the establishment, regulation, organisation, governance,
management and funding of educational institutions
- To provide for the establishment of education boards and for their functions
- To domesticate the Convention on the Rights of the Child in relation to education
- To repeal and replace the Education Act 1966, and the African Education Act 1951 and
- To provide for matters connected with, or incidental to, the foregoing (above mentioned).
ii) TEACHING SERVICE COMMISSION
The Teaching Service Commission consists of the following:
- Full-time members appointed by the President:
 The Chairperson;
 The Vice Chairperson; and
 Five other members.
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The functions of the Teaching Service Commission are, as provided in the Constitution, and
to;
Second, transfer, re-grade and separate employees in the Teaching Service;
Facilitate the transfer of staff across the Service Commissions.
Transfer employees from one Government institution to another Government institution
within the Teaching Service;
Authorise the withholding, reduction, deferment or suspension of salary of employees in the
Teaching Service;
Hear and determine complaints and appeals from employees whose cases have been
determined by Government institutions within the Teaching Service;
In consultation with the Teaching Council, set and promote a code of ethics and human
resource management principles and values for the Teaching Service, in accordance with the
values and principles set out in the Teaching Profession Act;
Establish standards and guidelines on human resource management for the Teaching Service;
Monitor and evaluate compliance with the code of ethics, human resource management
principles and values and any other standards and guidelines on human resource management
for the Teaching Service, in the execution of delegated powers and functions by Government
institutions in the Teaching Service;
Impose appropriate sanctions, including withdrawal of delegated human resource
management functions, on erring Government institutions within the Teaching Service; and
perform such other functions as are necessary or incidental to the regulation of human
resource management in the Teaching Service.
The Teaching Service Commission may, by regulations, delegate any of its functions to
responsible officers or committees.
TEACHING PROFESSION ACT NO 5 OF 2013
Responding to numerous complaints about falling standards of education and the mushrooming
of unregulated private schools and colleges in the country, the government, through Parliament,
enacted the Teaching Profession Act No. 5 of 2013, which came into force in March 2013.
The purposes of the Teaching Profession Act are:
- To establish the Teaching Council of Zambia (TCZ)
- To define the functions and powers of the TCZ
- To provide for the regulation of teachers, their practice and professional conduct.
- To provide for the accreditation and regulation of colleges of education, and
- To provide for matters connected with, or incidental, to the foregoing.
TEACHING COUNCIL OF ZAMBIA
The Teaching Council of Zambia (TCZ) was established under Teaching Profession
Act of Parliament number 5 of 2013. The overall mandate is to help restore standards in the
teaching profession in Zambia.
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The functions of the Teaching Council of Zambia (TCZ) are to:
- Register teachers
- Regulate the professional conduct of teachers
- Accredit colleges of education, monitor quality control and assurance of educational facilities
and services.
- Develop, maintain and improve appropriate standards of qualification in the teaching
profession and promote Continuing Professional Development (CPD) amongst teachers.
- Investigate allegations of professional misconduct and impose such sanctions as may be
necessary.
- Give advice to government on matters related to the teaching profession.
- Facilitate the acquisition of knowledge by teachers through the establishment of technical
libraries, and the provision of monetary grants, books, apparatus, and any other facilities
necessary to achieve that end.
- Promote, protect and advance the general interests of teachers.
- Collaborate with the relevant unions on conditions of service and remuneration of teachers.
- Provide a forum for the communication and interchange of views on matters relating to the
teaching profession and disseminate these views to the public
- Raise the character and status of the teaching profession to promote honourable and good
practice and where necessary, declare any particular teaching practice to be undesirable for
all, so as to increase the confidence of the public in teachers.
- Develop, promote and enforce internationally comparable teaching profession practice
standards so as to improve the quality of education in Zambia and promote an understanding
of professional ethics amongst the teachers.
- Create awareness of the importance of protecting the public against unsound teaching
practices and ensure that the rules and guidelines for professional ethics are responsive to the
expectations of the public and those who rely on the teaching profession.
HIGHER EDUCATION
Goals and objectives for the higher education sector have been set through consultative
processes, involving all stakeholders (including civil society, non-governmental organisations,
and corporate partners.
There are various relevant pieces of legislation and policy, governing education provision in
Zambia. Some examples of higher education legislation include the following:
- The Education Act of 1966, supported by the Zambia Statutory Instrument No. 43 of
1993: which provides a legal framework for the development of the education system in
Zambia (basic or primary, high schools, colleges of education and university education). This
Act has been repealed and replaced by the Education Act of 2011.
- The Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training (TEVET) Amendment Act 2005: this act provides the necessary legal framework for the
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development of TEVET in general and the establishment of the Technical Education,
Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training Authority (TEVETA) and Management Boards
for training institutions in particular. It also provides for the active participation of the private
sector in the provision of TEVET programmes in Zambia.
The University Act No. 11 of 1999: this act provides a legal framework for university
education in Zambia. It stipulates the legal requirements for the establishment and
governance of university education. It also defines the conditions and parameters for
establishing private institutions and for maintenance of academic standards.
The regulatory institutions for higher education are;
i) The Technical Education and Vocation Training Authority (TEVETA): this is the
regulatory body for Technical and vocational training institutions.
ii) The Examination Council of Zambia: this is the examining body. It is the body that is
responsible for regulating examinations in the country.
iii) University Councils: the bodies responsible for overseeing university education within the
institutions themselves
iv) The Zambia Qualifications Authority (ZAQUA): this body is responsible for accrediting
the qualifications that are obtained from outside the country.
NB: The difference between statutory bodies and regulatory bodies or institutions is that
statutory bodies are established under the law enacted by the parliament. While the regulatory
bodies mostly work under the statutory bodies as they have to "regulate" and "supervise" the
execution of law in accordance with the rules and regulations drafted by the statutory bodies.
TOOLS FOR TEACHERS (Teacher Unions and Subject and Associations)
TEACHER UNIONS
A union is an organisation of workers that exists to protect the interests of workers and towards
improving their conditions of service. It is an association for people with the same interests.
Based on the above statement, teacher unions can be defined as associations that are meant to
protect the interests of teachers at various levels and advocate for improvement of their
conditions of service.
Let’s have a look at the teacher unions that exist in Zambian Teaching Service.
- Zambia National Union of Teachers (ZNUT): this is the first teacher union in Zambia
where all teachers at various levels belonged. These other unions came up as a result of the
segregations and other inequalities that were experienced within the union. Therefore,
teachers and other stakeholders thought of coming up with unions that were specific to their
level so that their voices could be heard and thus, the creation of various unions according to
the levels of teachers.
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The following teacher unions were created to answer the needs of teachers:
- Basic Education Teachers Union of Zambia (BETUZ): for primary school teachers.
- Secondary School Teachers union of Zambia (SESTUZ): for secondary school teachers.
- Professional Teachers Union of Zambia (PROTUZ): for instructors at tertiary level.
- National Union for Public and Private Educators of Zambia (NUPPEZ): for teachers at
various levels in both public and private sector.
Functions of Teacher Unions
Teacher unions perform the following functions:
- Orienting newly deployed teachers on the terms and conditions of service.
- Ensure that teachers are provided with good terms and conditions of service.
- Should have a collective bargaining on salary increment of teachers.
- Facilitate teacher professional development. (sponsorship for teachers to upgrade)
- They provide liability insurance to teachers such as paying lawyers in a situation where a
teacher is involved in any serious case.
- Help teachers to get loans by endorsing on their application forms.
SUBJECT ASSOCIATIONS
Subject or teacher associations are groups of teachers who have joined together for the purpose
of upgrading themselves academically and professionally. These groups are formed at district
level, provincial level and national level.
There are a number of subject associations in the Zambian education system and these include:
a) Home Economics Association of Zambia (HEAZ)
b) Languages Teachers Association of Zambia (LATAZ)
c) Zambia Association for Mathematics Education (ZAME)
d) Zambia Association for Technology Education (ZAME)
e) Zambia Association for Science Education (ZASE)
f) Social Studies Teachers Association of Zambia (SOSTAZ)
g) Teacher Education Research Association of Zambia (TERAZ)
NB: More associations are being created because the educational needs are inexhaustible.
Teacher or Subject associations function as foras (indabas) for teachers where they discuss issues
pertaining to their teaching and other related issues to teaching and learning.
SOURCES
A Profile of Higher Education in Southern Africa Volume 2 – Chapter 15
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THE EDUCATION BILL, 2011 - MEMORANDUM
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