An investigation of students’ involvement in college management. a study of two selected government and private colleges in Mkushi and Kabwe district of Central province, Zambia.
A new generation of leaders is needed to address the changing issues facing local communities, build local partnerships, and assume leadership positions through training students in colleges as managers of the 21st century. This can only be achieved through meaningful student involvement in college management. The purpose of the study was to investigate how students’ are involved in college management at the two selected institutions. This research study sheds light on student involvement in the governance of a public college and private owned institution in Central Province of Zambia: Nkumbi International College and Paglory University. Its objectives were to investigate the levels of student involvement, role of the students’ governing councils, benefits of students’ involvement, challenges and strategies for effective college management. Hence to ascertain the aim and objectives, a survey research design was employed for a sample population of 134 respondents including; fourteen (14) administrative staff, thirty (30) lecturers, and ninety (90) students including their leaders/representatives. The questionnaire and a semi structured interview guide were used as tools for collecting data from the respondents. Data was analysed using computer MS-Excel. The study revealed that student’s were not fully involved in the management processes of their institution as the roles of the student’s council were not clearly outlined at the two institutions. Among the challenges found by the study was limited extent of involvement, privacy and confidentiality from the administration, inconsiderate student leadership approaches and lack of timely feedback on student issues. The major strategy determined by the study for improving student involvement in college governance was redefining and creation of a platform for more dialogue between students and the administrations through forming student organizations/leadership boards in the institutions. The study concluded that there are low levels of student involvement at the two institutions. Therefore, it recommended a condition of equal chances for students’ involvement in college governance through the Government of the Republic of Zambia to pass a mandatory act of parliament to be used as a legal framework for the mandatory establishment of student councils in all tertiary institutions.
School management and organization., High schools--Administration., School administrators.
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