Copper is the mainstay of the Zambian economy. From the inception of mining activities in the 1920s, it has accounted for the majority of the country‟s exports and foreign earnings. However, most people are of the view that its contribution to development programmes is disproportionate, well below their expectations. They attribute the contemporary failure to copper price volatility, international market forces, ownership, government ineptitude and the consequences of neoliberalism. Given the large expense involved in establishing and running copper mines, the country depends heavily on foreign capital. A big proportion of the copper that is mined in Zambia is sold in an unprocessed state denying the country additional revenue. This study assesses both the role of copper mining in the economic history of Zambia and its role in contemporary development as perceived and understood by current university-educated job market entrants on the Zambian Copperbelt, their educators and other commentators with work experience in the sector. / Theses (M.Dev.Studies)--University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2014.

Thesis (MSc (Forest and Wood Science))—University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / The utilization and commercialization of indigenous fruit trees has in the past been overlooked by extension agencies due to the misconception that they do not play a major role in contributing to the rural livelihoods. There is new and increasing emphasis on the contribution of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) on improving the livelihoods and sustainable management of forest ecosystems of the Miombo woodlands. This study was conducted around Mwekera area in the Copperbelt province, Zambia to determine the role of indigenous fruit trees in the rural livelihoods. A total of 70 households were interviewed in the survey using semi-structured questionnaires, in-depth open ended interviews and focus group meetings to collect information on the use of indigenous fruits. The study revealed that 99% of the households experience ‘hunger’ during the rainy season from November to April every year. Ninety seven percent (97%) of the households collect indigenous fruit, with the most collected fruits being Uapaca kirkiana (74%), Anisophyllea boehmii (71%) and Parinari curatellifolia (67%). Additionally, there is very little selling of indigenous fruit (31%) but that Uapaca kirkiana and Anisophyllea boehmii account for 95% of the fruits sold. Forty six percent (46%) of the households process fruits of U. kirkiana, A. boehmii and P. curatellifolia into juice and/or porridge. Furthermore IFTs are also used as traditional medicine. Sixty three percent (63%) of the households used IFTs for medicinal purposes with two-thirds of the respondents citing Anisophyllea boehmii as an important medicinal tree species. The study also showed that 85% of the respondents have seen a change in the forest cover resulting into loss of biodiversity with 70% of the respondents indicating that the change is with respect to reduction in forest size and scarcity of some species; and that charcoal production and clearance of land for cultivation are the major causes of the scarcity of indigenous fruit trees. It is concluded that the major contribution of IFTs in the study area is in filling the gap during times of hunger rather as being a source of income through selling. Charcoal production and clearance for agriculture are the main contributing agents for the loss of biodiversity and scarcity of IFTs. It is recommended that domestication of IFTs and sustainable forestry and agricultural management practices be employed to ensure that future generations continue to benefit from the forest resource.

The study was primary undertaken to critically study the nature of learner performance and teaching in public secondary schools in Zambia, with a focus on four public, co-education, day schools in the Copperbelt region for the purposes of addressing the challenge of poor performance in the Grade 12 National examinations that has characterised public secondary schools in the country. The researcher was guided by the main research question: ‘What is the nature of learner performance and teaching in public secondary schools in Zambia?’ The aim of the research was to establish the factors that negatively affected learner performance and teaching in the selected schools in order to develop effective mechanisms that would improve the education system in public secondary schools both at regional and national levels. The study was undertaken using a qualitative interpretive phenomenological approach mainly propounded by Martin Heidegger (1889-1976), for the purposes of collecting the lived experiences of the 24 purposively selected participants employed in this research: 4 head teachers, 8 teachers and 12 learners. Data collection was based on semi-structured interviews among the two longest serving teachers (male and female) per school and each of the head teachers in all the four schools; and two focus group interviews (from the highest and lowest performing schools) comprising six learners per group of equal gender among the selected Grade 12 candidates from the debate club and school council. The research also included analysis of documents like: school mission statements and visions, schemes and records of work and learners’ record of performance. The gathered information was manually analysed and interpreted. The major findings from the analysed data were that public secondary schools were negatively affected by four main categories of factors: (a) socio-economic factors; (b) the nature of the teaching and learning environment; (c) personal factors relating to the learners, teachers and head teachers; and (d) policy issues relating to learner enrolment and assessment, teacher selection, recruitment and development and highly controlled bureaucratic systems. The study established that improved learner performance is crucial to national development because the quality of an education system is measured by the performance of learners, and is the major drive for many aspects of development. The study also revealed that it was possible to improve learner performance, based on a number of lessons that can be drawn from the international research findings on characteristics of high-performing schools. Finally, the study recommends that public secondary schools in Zambia should revise their approach to enrolment of learners, teacher recruitment and development, and leadership appointment, and should adopt policies that meet the needs of the Zambian context as well as investing in research. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Philosophy of Education)

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The efficiency and effectiveness of any library in delivering quality services to clients is not only dependent on how skilled the librarians are but also on how motivated they are. This study investigated factors which affect motivation of librarians in Central and Copperbelt Provinces of Zambia. The study was a survey design involving questionnaires and interview technique to obtain information. A whole population of 100 respondents was used to collect data. The survey combined qualitative and quantitative methods, qualitative data obtained from interviews were analysed by coding and regrouping similar themes using constant comparative techniques. Quantitative data from questionnaires were analysed by using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). Study findings indicated that there were various factors which motivated librarians to do more work such as responsibilities, good salary, promotion and work achievement. However, further revelation showed that there is still need to reinforce these factors to enhance more motivation of librarians. / Information Science / M.A. (Information Science)

The efficiency and effectiveness of any library in delivering quality services to clients is not only dependent on how skilled the librarians are but also on how motivated they are. This study investigated factors which affect motivation of librarians in Central and Copperbelt Provinces of Zambia. The study was a survey design involving questionnaires and interview technique to obtain information. A whole population of 100 respondents was used to collect data. The survey combined qualitative and quantitative methods, qualitative data obtained from interviews were analysed by coding and regrouping similar themes using constant comparative techniques. Quantitative data from questionnaires were analysed by using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). Study findings indicated that there were various factors which motivated librarians to do more work such as responsibilities, good salary, promotion and work achievement. However, further revelation showed that there is still need to reinforce these factors to enhance more motivation of librarians. / Information Science / M. A. (Information Science)