"From Policy to Practice: Challenges in Delivering Free Education in Kabwe District Secondary Schools"

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate the challenges encountered in the implementation of the Free Education Policy (FEP) using the perceptions of the teachers in secondary schools in Kabwe district. To achieve this, the study used a qualitative research approach and a case study design with a sample size of 30 participants upon reaching the saturation point. The data was analysed thematically using ATLAS.ti allowed themes and subthemes to emerge using Braun and Clark's (2016) thematic analysis. The study found stiff centralized control and excessive bureaucracy that limited the Headteacher’s discretion to address immediate localized FEP challenges that emerged immediately when the FEP was launched in secondary schools in Kabwe district. The study also found some of the challenges of the FEP implementation to be: delayed and insufficient government grants, overcrowded classrooms and teacher workload pressure, compromised teaching and learning quality and limited infrastructure support. The implication of the study is discussed.