Secondary Education

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Secondary Education

SECONDARY EDUCATION-CAREER INFORMATION SUMMARY

WHAT IS SECONDARY EDUCATION AND WHO IS A SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHER?

Secondary Education is an academic qualification which focuses on the Secondary Education sector including subjects such as mathematics, history, Religious Education, English, biology, chemistry, physics, music, art, and a number of subjects.

It comes in both Bachelor of Education in Secondary Education and Diploma of Education with Secondary Education.

A Secondary school teacher is someone who has graduated with a diploma or degree in secondary education in Zambia or Abroad and is registered with the teaching council of Zambia to teach pupils in grades 8-12 in their area of specialization.

WHERE DO SECONDARY EDUCATION GRADUATES WORK?

The demand for secondary school teachers is increasing across Zambia in both government schools and private schools. Teachers who specialize in mathematics, computer science, history, geography, special education etc. can find better employment prospects in government and private schools.

The government also employs those who major in for example History and Geography in departments like Archives Zambia and Zambia Metrological departments respectively.

If you graduate with a degree you have chances of getting a job even outside the education sector, like banks, NGOs and other business companies that recruit graduate trainees for the trainable jobs available.

WHAT TASKS ARE INVOLVED IN THE WORK?

Secondary school teachers play an important role for pupils during their formative years by fostering the intellectual and social development of their pupils. They provide their pupils with an environment and the proper tools to develop into responsible adults.

Whether they ask pupils to work together in groups, secondary school teachers can provide instruction to pupils that will help them later on in life. Secondary school teachers will prepare report forms, listen to oral presentations, observe a pupil’s performance and potential as well as meet with members of the staff and parents to go over any personal problems or the academic progress of a pupil. For pupils having trouble in a particular area, secondary school teachers will assess the problem and work with them to improve in that particular area.

Secondary school teachers are responsible for going into subjects deeper and teaching them more information about the world. They usually specialize in a particular subject, such as English or History, or teach career oriented subjects. Secondary school teachers may also be responsible for providing career guidance, help with college placement and following up with pupils after they complete school.

WHAT IS THE WORK SCHEDULE OF A SECONDARY EDUCATION GRADUATE?

If one is working for a government departments or any other business company apart from teaching, they typically follow the normal 08hrs to 17hrs work schedule Monday to Friday. If one is working as a secondary school teacher, they work from 07hrs to 13hrs from Monday to Friday and they are entitled to holidays (school breaks) usually one month every after a term (a term runs for three months) and they are also entitling to other public holidays.

WHAT DOES THE JOB MARKET LOOK LIKE?

The biggest employing sector for Secondary Education graduates is the government. Every year the government through the ministry of education recruits close to 3000 teachers countrywide. The government also employs those who major in for example History and Geography in departments like Archives Zambia and Zambia Metrological departments respectively

The second largest employing sector of secondary education graduates is the private sector, every year and every month the private schools publish job adverts of secondary school teachers. Unlike the government which employs once in a year through massive recruitment the private schools look for teachers every day of the week.

Secondary school teachers at public schools need a license from the teaching council of Zambia, while those teaching at private schools can work even without certificate from the Teaching Council of Zambia, they only need a diploma or bachelor’s degree.

SALARY RANGES AND WHAT CONTROLS IT?

Entry level salaries for a graduate as of 2020 in a government school started from 4100zmw as a basic pay (after tax and other deduction) for those with diplomas in secondary education to 5100zmw as basic pay (after tax and other deduction) for those with degrees in secondary education, depending.

For those who work in private schools their salaries vary greatly depending on the size of the private school and the area in which the school is located. Those in the cities like Lusaka, Ndola and Kitwe are likely to get better pays due to high costs of living. Some of the private schools are well organized and some get paid as much as those in government, but for others in other areas or in small or start up schools they even get as low as 1500zmw.

For those who work in government departments like Zambia Archives and other departments their basic pay ranges from 6000zmw to 7000zmw.

WHAT SORT OF CAREER-PERSONALITY MATCH IS REQUIRED?

To enjoy being a secondary school teacher, you need to be a person who loves teaching and must have a passion for it. This is because many secondary school teachers can find their jobs rewarding as well as stressful and frustrating. Working with unmotivated pupils or in rundown classrooms can contribute to this frustration. Heavy workloads and large classrooms can also contribute to this stress. Secondary school teachers working for private schools will experience working in smaller classes with more motivated students due to the selective admissions process.

WHERE CAN I STUDY SECONDARY EDUCATION, FOR HOW LONG, TO EARN WHAT QUALIFICATION?

In Zambia Secondary Education is offered in all the public and private colleges of education and universities such The University of Zambia, The Copperbelt University, Zambia Open University, Mulungushi University, Makluba University, United Church of Zambia University and so many other universities in Zambia offering both Bachelor of Education in Secondary Education and Diploma of education in Secondary Education. Secondary Education is also available in colleges of education such as Kasama College of education Northern Province offers diploma and degree in Secondary Education on distance mode of study, Evelyn Hone College in Lusaka, Hope college of education in Central province also offering degree in secondary education through distance learning, Mansa college of education in Luapula province etc. Diploma runs for three years and a degree in Secondary Education runs for three years if you enroll with a diploma and it runs for four years for those with only grade 12 certificates. Colleges of education are available in almost all the provincial Headquarters of the country.

WHAT SUBJECTS WILL THE PROGRAM COVER?

All students are required to complete Education Foundations courses during year 1 which include: History and Philosophy of Education, Sociology of Education, Psychology of Education, Theory and Practice of Education, Educational Research, ICT Education, Education Administration, Entrepreneurship Education, Special Education Needs and Guidance Counselling.

Secondary Teaching Diploma students are required to complete Teaching Courses specific to their concentration. Students will choose one major area and one minor area of study during 2^nd , 3^rd and 4^th year. These include major in Science (Chemistry, Physics), English Language and Literature, Mathematics and Biology among other major courses. And you can choose to MINOR in courses such as Social Studies (History, Geography, and Civic Education), ICT and Agricultural Science among other available minor courses at the institution.

All students are required to complete both teaching observation and to practice teaching at approved schools.

WHAT MODES OF STUDY ARE AVAILABLE?

As at the time this summary was written, only full-time and distance at all colleges and universities.

WHAT ARE THE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS?

To qualify for this program, you need to have (5) Ordinary levels including Mathematics and English, when enrolling for a degree a Diploma in Secondary Education is an added advantage and you can be excepted for one year and study for three years only.

WHAT OTHER PROGRAMS OF STUDY CAN MAKE SOMEONE A SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHER?

To work as a secondary school teacher you can also study any Sciences with Education program of study or even just any science like geochemistry, physics, and biochemistry as long you study a course in teaching methodologies.

WHAT ARE THE FUTURE ADVANCED QUALIFICATIONS AVAILABLE AND WHY?

Once you study a diploma in Secondary Education, you may decide to pursue a degree in Secondary education. In a case where you do a diploma in Secondary Education then you only do a degree in Secondary Education only for three instead of four years.

After completing your pursuit of a degree in Secondary Education, you have chances of getting a job as a lecturer at a college. But these days a lot of people are graduating with degrees then you will have to pursue a master’s degree in education coupled with teaching methodology to become a lecturer.

The reason why you have to upgrade your qualification in Secondary Education is to get promoted fast or to gain more knowledge beyond your initial qualification, and there is also an opportunity of changing your career from teaching upon upgrading your qualifications into other field of study.