4.

2 SECONDARY COLLEGES OF EDUCATION In secondary colleges of education, the aim of teacher education includes teaching Religious Education in such a way that denominational and doctrinaire approaches are avoided. The syllabus includes the topics done in grades 8 and 9 of the basic education syllabus and in grades 10-12 of the Zambian School Certificate syllabus. The topics have been outlined in chapter three under syllabus 2044 and 2046. The general syllabus aim is to provide students with a set of skills which would enable them to function effectively as teachers of Religious Education in grades 8-12. This requires that student teachers review school Religious Education from a mature perspective and continue their own personal study of the subject. The methodology part is similar to the methodology used in primary colleges of education in a number of ways. Emphasis is on learner-centredness, which is participatory and democratic. Inquiry, guided-discovery, problem solving, analysis and application are some of the teaching techniques and skills used and promoted. 97 Inquiry would enable the girls to discover more information on a particular topic and then make their own assessment. People perish due to lack of knowledge. Therefore, knowledge is powerful as it enables one to come out of the shell of darkness and ignorance. As a teacher, one should believe (with reference to psychologists like Maslow and Piaget) that positive attention and approval are essential features in the interaction between teacher and learner. All the opportunities in the classroom to express feelings and formulation of thoughts are essential prerequisites for a positive and healthy mental development. Every learner (and certainly, the girl child) must be given ample opportunities to plan and execute ideas. According to the Ministry of Education, the broad aim of secondary school education is the integrated and comprehensive development of each pupils potential, the

specific objectives of education at high school level are to: 1. develop desirable intellectual skills and qualities such as reflective reasoning, logical thinking, ability to concentrate, attentiveness to detail, and objectivity in appraisal of evidence. 2. foster creativity, imagination, resourcefulness, and innovativeness, and provide occasions for their exercise; 3. promote extensive knowledge, exact skills, and accurate understanding of chosen areas in languages, mathematics, science and technology, the social sciences, practical subjects, and the arts; 4. provide educational experiences that will nurture skills that will enable pupils to take charge of their own learning; 5. establish an environment that will cater for the psycho-social needs of pupils and that will facilitate their growth to maturity as moral and responsible individuals; 6. instill a spirit of self-discipline, integrity, accuracy and hard work; 7. awaken concern for the promotion of civil liberties and human rights, for the consolidation of the democratic character of Zambian society, for more equitable distribution of global and national wealth, and for sustainable human development in Zambia and elsewhere. 98 8. Develop desirable attitudes and qualities of personal, inter-personal, national and international peace and understanding (M0E, 1996: 51-52). The content, structure and processes of teaching at this level, the range of extracurricular activities undertaken, and the organization and ethos of the school should all be directed towards meeting the above stated objectives. As can be observed, the girl-child is not discriminated against in the above stated objectives. Therefore, the acquired skills would help girls in both urban and the periurban schools to mature and act according to their reasoning without being intimidated.