An Analysis of Indicators of Quality Education in Low-Fee Paying Private High Schools: A Case Of Mabelreign/Warren Park District in Harare, Zimbabwe

Abstract

The study aimed to evaluate the indicators of quality education in low-fee paying private high schools in the Mabelreign/Warren Park district in the Harare Metropolitan Province of Zimbabwe. A clear evaluation of indicators of quality education was essential to bridge the knowledge gap on the quality of education in low-fee paying private high schools. Essentially, this study was unique as it evaluated the indicators of quality education in low-fee paying private high schools in an education system where there was a sharp increase in the number of low-fee paying private high schools. The study was guided by the systems theory which looks at the phenomenon at hand through the lens of interrelatedness of elements in the low-fee paying private high schools’ systems. The study adopted a qualitative method research approach, interpretivism paradigm and a case study design which enabled the researcher and the participants to be co-constructors of knowledge. More so, the sample for the study was 50 participants which was participants from 3 low-fee paying private high schools in Mabelreign/Warren Park district. Convenience sampling technique was adopted to select  fifteen (15) interviewees which was made up of twelve (12) teachers  and three (3) school heads. In addition,  the number of twelve (12) teachers interviewed were reached based on the saturation point principle. This study used content analysis technique to analyse data. The major findings are that teacher qualifications, and experience, pupil-textbook ratio, teacher-pupil ratio, and teaching and learning resources are the major indicators of quality education. The study recommended that entrepreneurs in low-fee paying private high schools should purchase hardcopy textbooks and even e-textbooks such that they leave their message to the target market of a textbook-pupil ratio of 1:1.