Authors: Innocent Mutale Mulenga (The University of Zambia) and Katongo Bwalya (The University of Zambia)
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to establish challenges and experiences faced by student teachers during teaching practice in Zambia. The study employed the concurrent embedded design. Data was collected from 280 respondents including 200 student teachers, 30 host school deputy head teachers and 50 lecturers. The study employed a questionnaire, focus group discussion and an interview to collect data from the respondents. The study established some challenges which can serve as learning points for teacher educators and administrators in institutions of higher learning that are running teacher education programs. The challenges include the struggle of maintaining low costs while having a high quality school experience, lecturers hurrying through the supervision process, the tendency to involve non-lecturers to supervise students and students lack of adequate support during the school experience period. The school experience period was adequate and students had a number of benefits from it although some institutions had it at the end of the program. It was therefore recommended that school experience be continually evaluated by both the Ministry of Education and institutions that provide teacher education programs in Zambia and that the length of the school experience period be maintained so as to enhance the benefits that student teacher drew from it. It was further recommended that institutions preparing teachers should make sure that school experience is done during the teacher education period and not at the end of it so that students and their lecturers evaluate the experience before the end of the program.