IMPLICATIONS OF INVOLVING TEACHER UNIONS IN RE-ENTRY POLICY FORMULATION IN ZAMBIA

Abstract

In our literature review, it was evident that teacher unions, specifically Zambia National Union of Teachers (ZNUT) and Secondary
School Teachers Union of Zambia (SESTUZ), played a role in the formulation of the re-entry policy in Zambia. However, the literature
lacked clarity on the implications of involving teacher unions in this policy formulation process. To address this gap, our study aimed to
explore and describe the implications of engaging teacher unions in the formulation of the Re-Entry Policy. Employing the dimensions of
ontology, epistemology, and axiology, we utilized a qualitative case study design conducted in Zambia. The study population included 20
Teacher Union Representatives from ZNUT and SESTUZ and directors from the Ministry of General Education (MoGE). Following
Creswell (1998) and Morse (1994) recommendations, we sampled 26 participants, conducting interviews with 11 union representat ives
and 4 directors until saturation was reached. Ethical clearance was obtained from the University of Zambia Directorate of Research and
Graduate Studies. Our findings revealed positive implications of involving teacher unions in the Re-Entry Policy formulation. These
included grounding the policy in the reality of the education system, fostering ownership and buy-in, ensuring inclusivity, promoting
quality education, and providing support for implementation. However, negative implications were also reported, such as delays in
decision-making, conflicts of interest, inflexibility, excessive demands, and a lack of diverse perspectives. The study emphasizes the crucial
role of teacher unions in education policy formulation and implementation, asserting that their involvement is pivotal for policies to be
effective, practical, and inclusive, ultimately benefiting teachers, students, and the education system as a whole.