Abstract :

The study explored teachers’ perspectives on the sustainability of Free Education Policy (FEP) at a selected school in Kabwe, Central Zambia. The introduction of FEP from pre-school to Grade 12 was launched in 2022 by the UPND government to fulfil its campaign promise to the people of Zambia. The study was located in the interpretive paradigm involving a qualitative descriptive design. The study sample comprised 16 participants that included two education standards officers, a deputy head teacher, five heads of departments and eight teachers. All participants were purposively selected because of their ability to provide information on their experiences of the free education policy as observed in their schools. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and observation. Data were analyzed thematically through identifying, analyzing, organizing, describing and reporting themes found within the data set. On teachers’ perceptions on the implementation of the FEP in school, the study found that participants shared a mix of positive, negative and neutral perspectives. Some teachers appreciated the policy’s role in increasing access to education, particularly for learners from low-income households stating that it had removed financial barriers and improved enrolment rates. However, several participants raised concerns about the practical aspects of implementation, citing overcrowded classrooms, inadequate teaching and learning materials, increased workload, uneven resource distribution in schools, limited individual learner attention as some of the major challenges.

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Keywords :

Teacher perceptions, free education policy, overcrowded classrooms, increased workloads, access to education, inadequate teaching materials.

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