Zambia National Education Coalition (ZANEC) is pleased to join the rest of the world in commemorating the Day of the African Child which falls today the 16th of June, 2024. The Day of the African Child is a time to celebrate the children of Africa and reflect on the progress we are making in the realization of the right to education for all our children across the continent including our own country.
The theme for this year is “Education for All Children in Africa: The Time is Now”. The aspect of ‘education for all’ is key because the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child under Article 11(1) states that ‘Every child shall have the right to an education’. Education is a right for all children in Africa despite their location, race, parental status, disability, gender, and any other status. As ZANEC, we are pleased with the government pronouncement and implementation of the Free Education Policy from Early Childhood Education (ECE) through to Primary and Secondary Education. This policy is important in that it gives an opportunity for every child to access education in our beloved Country. Education for all children should be the cornerstone of every country in Africa because of its potential to transform our countries into developed and prosperous nations. It is a fact that countries and continents that are thriving economically have and continue to make substantial investments in the education of their citizens and people.
However, for Zambia to benefit from the free education policy, ZANEC recommends the following in line with the commitments outlined by the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of Children:
- To assess the status of education by collecting updated and desegregated data on school enrolment, completion, out-of-school children and other key indicators relevant in especially with the free education in from ECE to secondary education.
- To take deliberate measures and increase the budget allocated for education to enhance access and quality of education for all of at least 20% national budget to education as stimulated by the Cairo and SADC protocols which Zambia is part of. The financing to education should be mobilized through domestic funds and international cooperation.
- To build more schools that are child-friendly and accessible to children with disabilities in areas where there are fewer schools.
- To identify vulnerabilities and other factors affecting the enrolment, passing, and completion rates and devise programmes addressing the addressed factors such as gender-based violence, discrimination, and economic factors. Fully implement the School Re-entry Policy.
- To renovate schools to ensure that they are disability friendly and provide sanitation and hygiene facilities.
- To recruit more teachers and reduce the teacher-to-student ratio, especially in marginalized and remote areas, and build the capacity of teachers through continuous training.
- To establish alternative learning for children who are out of school, in vulnerable situations, in the workforce, or in street situations.
- Put in modalities in the shortest time to ensure the implementation of the new education curriculum from ECE to primary and secondary education. Further, integrate human rights education through full implementation of the Life Skills and Health Education.
Finally, we appeal to all stakeholders that the time to provide quality education for all children is now and requires concerted effort. Therefore, let us all be involved in the education of our children to secure a bright future for our country, communities, and families.
For/ZANEC
George Hamusunga
Executive Director
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