Investigating the Lived Experiences of Teachers in Long Distance Marriages: A Case of Selected Secondary Schools of Choma District, Zambia

Abstract

Distant marriage has widely been researched on in other professionals such as lawyers, doctors, soldiers. However, in the teaching fraternity, this phenomenon has not been widely studied. Thus, the lived experiences of teachers in long distant marriage are generally unknown. This study aimed to assess the lived experiences of teachers faced with long distant marriages and the dynamics on perceived marital as well as job fulfilment in Zambia. This study used ethnographic research methods to uncover the lived experiences of teachers in long distance Choma district of Zambia. Three schools were the primary focus of the study; St Mark’s, Choma Boarding and Njase. Interview with open and closed questions and observation protocols were used to collect data. The study found that teachers on long distant marriage must prepare themselves adequately by adapting to it through, consulting with the Ministry of General Education on available payroll vacancies, family, visitation, proper planning, and management of their finances. Indeed, work presence and input/output as well as to engage in social activities were critical moments for the respondents. Respondents gave their concerns on their continued stay in long-distance marriages which may be useful for educational planners and implementers. The study recommends that the Zambian Ministry of Education should redesign the deployment policy of teachers to cater for those in long distance marriages. Finally, the study recommends additionally that the impact of long-distance marriage on a learner be investigated by other researchers.