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Top up Fees in Free Primary Education: Views of Head Teachers in Selected Schools in the Lubombo Region of Eswatini

Received: 3 January 2022     Accepted: 22 January 2022     Published: 8 June 2022
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Abstract

The study explored the views of Head teachers on the charging of Top up fees in Free Primary Education in primary schools in the Lubombo region of Eswatini. The study was based on the following research questions: What are the head teachers’ views on the charging of top up fees in primary schools in the Lubombo region of Eswatini? Why do head teachers charge top up fees in primary schools in the Lubombo region of Eswatini? How have learners been affected by the charging of top up fees in primary schools in the Lubombo region of Eswatini? The study was qualitative and adopted the case study research design. Drawn from a population of twelve (12) schools in the Siteki top zone, the sample comprised of nine (9) schools which were randomly selected, where nine (9) head teachers were purposively selected. Data were collected using questionnaires and interviews. The findings of the study revealed that access to education has improved due to the increased enrolment observed in schools over the years since the inception of FPE. The study also found that the head teachers’ stance was divided on the issue of top up fees as some felt that it was justified and others felt it was not. Another finding was that the charging of top up fees negatively impacted on the learners and parents because as a result of not being able to top up some learners have had to drop out of school. The study therefore recommends that government should increase the FPE grant so that head teachers can stop charging the top up fees.

Published in International Journal of Elementary Education (Volume 11, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijeedu.20221102.14
Page(s) 43-49
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Views, Top up Fees, Free Primary Education

References
[1] Ministry of Education and Training (2011). Primary Education, Ministry of Education and Training, Mbabane.
[2] Lipinge, Sakaria, & Gilbert Likando., (2013). Implementing Universal Primary Education in Namibia – Trends and challenges. American International Journal of Social Science p. 135-142.
[3] World Bank (2003). A Chance for Every Child. Washington DC, World Bank.
[4] Abuya, Benta., (2015). Free Primary Education and Implementation in Kenya The Role of Primary School Teachers in Addressing the Policy Gap. Nairobi: SAGE Publications Inc.
[5] Owiti, Beatrice., (2010). Challenges facing management of free primary education in Kenya: a case of Kadibo Division, Kisumu East District-Kenya. Retrieved from http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/handle/11295/4892.
[6] UNICEF (2012). Free Education Becomes Legally Compulsory in Lesotho. From http://www.unicef.org/ media/media_53653.htm
[7] Zwane, Ackel., (2016). Ministry Calls for Revision of FPE Act 2010. Mbabane: Swazi Observer.
[8] Dlamini Bethusile Priscilla., (2016). Implementing and sustaining free primary education in Swaziland: The interplay between policy and practice. Pretoria: University of South Africa.
[9] Bastedo, Michael., (2004). Open System theory, in The SAGE Encyclopedia of Educational Leadership and Administration. University of Michigan.
[10] Morojele, Pholoho., (2012). Implementing Free Primary Education in Lesotho: Issues and Challenges. Journal of Social Sciences, 32 (1): 37-45.
[11] Oketch, Moses., & Somerset, Anthony., (2010). Free Primary Education in and after Kenya: Enrollment, impact, quality effects and the transisition to secondary school. Project Report, CREATE, Brighton, UK.
[12] National Education and Training Sector Policy (2018). Eswatini Ministry of Education, Mbabane.
[13] Sukati, Walter., (2013). Education for all children by 2015: Mere rhetoric or reality in Swaziland? International Journal of Education and Research, 1 (11).
[14] UNESCO (2005). Challenges of Implementing Free Primary Education in Kenya Assessment Report UNESCO Nairobi Office March 2005.
[15] Ogola, Fredrick., (2010). Free Education in Kenya’s Public Primary Schools, Addressing the challenges: Organisation of Social Science Research in Eastern and Southern Africa, OSSREA, Addis Ababa.
[16] Becker, Jo., (2016). Campaigning for children: Strategies for advancing children’s rights, books.google, com.
[17] Guardian news and media, (2002). Higher Education Top up fees explained, The Guardian International Edition.
[18] Yin, Robert., (2006). Case Study Research: Design and methods. Applied social research methods series, London, Sage Publications.
[19] Lodico, Marguerite., & Voegtle Katherine., (2010). Methods in Educational Research: From Theory to practice John Wiley &Sons, San Francisco.
[20] Laws, Kevin, & McLeod, Robert., (2012). Research methods in business: a practical guide 3rd Edition. Harlow: Prentice Hall.
[21] Merriam, Sharan., (2016). Reworking qualitative and quantitative data. New York: Longman.
[22] Grove, Susan, & Burns, Nancy, (2012). The practice of nursing research: Appraisal, synthesis, and generation of evidence, 6th Ed, Atlanta, GA: Elsevier.
[23] Abagi, Okwach & George Odipo., (2012). Efficiency of primary education in Kenya: situational analysis and implications for educational reform. Nairobi: Institute of Policy Analysis and Research.
[24] Marlow, Christian., (2011). Research Methods for Generalist social Work. Reviewed in the United States on February 4 2011.
[25] Thompson, Neil., (2015). Understanding social work: Preparing for practice, 4th Ed. Amazon, UK.
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Dlamini Nomcebo, Nxumalo Zodwa Gcinaphi, Bhebhe Sithulisiwe. (2022). Top up Fees in Free Primary Education: Views of Head Teachers in Selected Schools in the Lubombo Region of Eswatini. International Journal of Elementary Education, 11(2), 43-49. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijeedu.20221102.14

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    ACS Style

    Dlamini Nomcebo; Nxumalo Zodwa Gcinaphi; Bhebhe Sithulisiwe. Top up Fees in Free Primary Education: Views of Head Teachers in Selected Schools in the Lubombo Region of Eswatini. Int. J. Elem. Educ. 2022, 11(2), 43-49. doi: 10.11648/j.ijeedu.20221102.14

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    AMA Style

    Dlamini Nomcebo, Nxumalo Zodwa Gcinaphi, Bhebhe Sithulisiwe. Top up Fees in Free Primary Education: Views of Head Teachers in Selected Schools in the Lubombo Region of Eswatini. Int J Elem Educ. 2022;11(2):43-49. doi: 10.11648/j.ijeedu.20221102.14

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijeedu.20221102.14,
      author = {Dlamini Nomcebo and Nxumalo Zodwa Gcinaphi and Bhebhe Sithulisiwe},
      title = {Top up Fees in Free Primary Education: Views of Head Teachers in Selected Schools in the Lubombo Region of Eswatini},
      journal = {International Journal of Elementary Education},
      volume = {11},
      number = {2},
      pages = {43-49},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijeedu.20221102.14},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijeedu.20221102.14},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijeedu.20221102.14},
      abstract = {The study explored the views of Head teachers on the charging of Top up fees in Free Primary Education in primary schools in the Lubombo region of Eswatini. The study was based on the following research questions: What are the head teachers’ views on the charging of top up fees in primary schools in the Lubombo region of Eswatini? Why do head teachers charge top up fees in primary schools in the Lubombo region of Eswatini? How have learners been affected by the charging of top up fees in primary schools in the Lubombo region of Eswatini? The study was qualitative and adopted the case study research design. Drawn from a population of twelve (12) schools in the Siteki top zone, the sample comprised of nine (9) schools which were randomly selected, where nine (9) head teachers were purposively selected. Data were collected using questionnaires and interviews. The findings of the study revealed that access to education has improved due to the increased enrolment observed in schools over the years since the inception of FPE. The study also found that the head teachers’ stance was divided on the issue of top up fees as some felt that it was justified and others felt it was not. Another finding was that the charging of top up fees negatively impacted on the learners and parents because as a result of not being able to top up some learners have had to drop out of school. The study therefore recommends that government should increase the FPE grant so that head teachers can stop charging the top up fees.},
     year = {2022}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Top up Fees in Free Primary Education: Views of Head Teachers in Selected Schools in the Lubombo Region of Eswatini
    AU  - Dlamini Nomcebo
    AU  - Nxumalo Zodwa Gcinaphi
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    JF  - International Journal of Elementary Education
    JO  - International Journal of Elementary Education
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    EP  - 49
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2328-7640
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijeedu.20221102.14
    AB  - The study explored the views of Head teachers on the charging of Top up fees in Free Primary Education in primary schools in the Lubombo region of Eswatini. The study was based on the following research questions: What are the head teachers’ views on the charging of top up fees in primary schools in the Lubombo region of Eswatini? Why do head teachers charge top up fees in primary schools in the Lubombo region of Eswatini? How have learners been affected by the charging of top up fees in primary schools in the Lubombo region of Eswatini? The study was qualitative and adopted the case study research design. Drawn from a population of twelve (12) schools in the Siteki top zone, the sample comprised of nine (9) schools which were randomly selected, where nine (9) head teachers were purposively selected. Data were collected using questionnaires and interviews. The findings of the study revealed that access to education has improved due to the increased enrolment observed in schools over the years since the inception of FPE. The study also found that the head teachers’ stance was divided on the issue of top up fees as some felt that it was justified and others felt it was not. Another finding was that the charging of top up fees negatively impacted on the learners and parents because as a result of not being able to top up some learners have had to drop out of school. The study therefore recommends that government should increase the FPE grant so that head teachers can stop charging the top up fees.
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Author Information
  • Department of Primary Education, Faculty of Education, University of Eswatini, Kwaluseni, Eswatini

  • Department of Primary Education, Faculty of Education, University of Eswatini, Kwaluseni, Eswatini

  • Department of Primary Education, Faculty of Education, University of Eswatini, Kwaluseni, Eswatini

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