Insights into the Implementation of STEM Education: A Study of a Selected STEM School in Lusaka District

The introduction of the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education programme in Zambia is a response to the need for the provision of quality science and technology education for individual and national development and in line with the Zambia education competence-based curriculum framework of 2023, to produce a learner who is independent, creative, productive, a critical and analytical thinker who relates his/her thinking to solving real-life problems.However, the STEM education programme in Zambia could not continue as intended, and its implementation was suddenly discontinued.This study sought to establish insights into the implementation of STEM education and propose implementation frameworks for improved and sustainable STEM education implementation in Zambian secondary schools.The study used a case study research design and purposive sampling to sample respondents at the selected STEM secondary school in Lusaka.Semi-structured interview guides and document reviews were used to collect data.Data were analysed using thematic analysis.The study found that all the respondents had an understanding of what STEM education is all about.Further, the study found that STEM education should be implemented as an approach to teaching and learning through project-based learning in order to promote analytical thinking and creativity in the learners.Based on these findings, this study recommends that JETS be incorporated into the national curriculum as a tentative STEM education implementation framework.