FACTORS CAUSING THE NON-TEACHING OF MUSIC IN ZAMBIA: A CASE OF PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN CHONGWE DISTRICT,LUSAKA, ZAMBIA.

Abstract

The study investigated the factors causing the non-teaching of Music in primary schools of Chongwe district in Lusaka Province. The objectives of the study were to establish the reasons why most teachers did not teach Music, determine skills and knowledge levels of general teachers in Music, and assess the perception on the effectiveness of Music Education by teachers and administrators. The research included 48 teachers and four administrators from four primary schools namely; Chalimbana, Chongwe, Bimbe and Kabeleka. The questionnaires were administered to teachers and interviews were held with administrators in the primary schools under study.

The descriptive research design was used because the research sought to collect information about the respondents’ opinions on the topic at hand. Qualitative data, with the emphasis on participants’ “lived experience” was fundamental for answering the research questions and to augment the body of existing data on the state of Music Education in primary schools.

In general, the analysis of the data obtained revealed that factors pertaining to the state of Music Education in Zambia were related to unclear policy on Music Education, lack of support from stake holders in the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Early Education, inadequate teacher preparatory, teachers’ lack of confidence to teach Music, negative attitude towards the subject and lack of in-service teacher training and Continuous Professional Development (CPD). Other factors included lack of resources and combination of five contributory subjects into one subject area Creative Technology Studies.

Recommendations include regular and deliberate promotion of in-service teacher training courses for Music and to come up with a clear policy on Music Education in order to encourage and improve the state of Music Education in primary schools. Regular sensitization should be adhered to in order to instil a sense of Music appreciation and intensify regular monitoring by Standards Officers and school administrators. Lastly, the Curriculum Development Centre should address the problem of teachers’ reference and text books which is prevalent in all primary schools and reconsider the combination of five subjects into one subject area.