ZANEC

Category: News

  • ZANEC Press Statement on the extended closure of schools due to cholera outbreak

    ZANEC Press Statement on the extended closure of schools due to cholera outbreak

    Zambia National Education Coalition (ZANEC) respects government’s decision to extend the closure of schools on account of the increasing number of cases of cholera. The decision significantly aligns with the public health recommendations from our health experts. However, we believe postponing the school reopening from January 29th to 12th February, will result in serious learning losses which will undermine the education recovery post COVID 19. For this reason, it is important that the Council of Ministers utilizes the evidence from the researches conducted by ZANEC with support from the Ministry of Education and UNICEF during the COVID 19 pandemic from 2020 to 2022 to mitigate the impact of the cholera epidemic on education. Therefore, there is need to consider the following important actions.

    1.The National Disaster Management and Mitigation Council of Ministers that decided the school closure to be extended need to put in place adequate measures in the two weeks that schools will be closed to ensure that schools will have all the necessary requisites that will protect learners from cholera when they reopen.

    2.It was also not prudent to generalize the closure of schools in all parts of the country, the extended closure of schools should have been only in parts of the country that have cholera for example according to Zambia Cholera Situation Report Sitrep No. 23. Provinces like Muchinga, Western and Luapula have only recorded imported cases. Therefore, the closure should have been in the districts that are epicenters, have active cases or are at high risk.

    3.There is need for government through the Ministry of Finance to release adequate cholera epidemic response funding to the Ministry of Education to enable them put measures in schools that will ensure the health and safety of learners. The tendency by government to think that investment in the health sector alone can also address the impact of the cholera epidemic on education is misplaced. For us, we attribute the failure to open schools to the lack of political will to support the Ministry of Education with the required resources to make our schools conducive for learning amidst the cholera epidemic.

    4.The Ministry of Education must also be supported to deliver Alternative Modes of Education Provision that can help provide continuity of learning at home for children during the closure of schools. Unfortunately, although we all agree that the Education Broadcasting Services (EBS) is the panacea to our digital learning solutions in Zambia, the institution is poorly funded to the extent that they have not aired a single education programme for a year now. We would like to call upon government, through the Ministry of Finance to quickly fund EBS so that it can resume its work. Furthermore, EBS must be given an express license to air education programmes countrywide to mitigate the current learning loss. This investment is critical in the long term for continued learning during calamities or natural disasters.

    5.The Ministry of Education must start preparing for the re-opening of examination classes now so that in the event that the cases of cholera continue increasing for the next two weeks, learners in examination classes can be given the first priority to go back to school. The Ministry can leverage on its past experience in running examination classes amidst COVID 19 to reduce the loss of learning time among our 2024 examination candidates.

    For/ZANEC

    George Hamusunga
    Executive Director

  • ZANEC PRESS STATEMENT ON THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF EDUCATION

    ZANEC PRESS STATEMENT ON THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF EDUCATION

    ZANEC is pleased to join the rest of the world in commemorating the International Day of Education which falls today. This day is important in the education calendar as it provides us with the opportunity to reflect on the importance of education as a human right and its contribution to socio-economic development.

    In line with this year’s theme which is “Learning for lasting Peace”, research evidence shows that education can catalyse and buttress peace, especially when there is equitable access for all. Education can also play a vital role in peace building and reconciliation. Education initiatives have a proven potential to help marginalized populations gain access to justice that contributes to peaceful societies. It is important to note that when people are educated, they are able to appreciate the value of peace and avoid conflict. Therefore, learning for lasting peace is a timely theme. Education is also the key to the escalating climatic challenges (natural calamities), persistent inequalities, growing discrimination, racism, xenophobia, hate speech, violence, and conflict on a global scale. Indeed, education emerges as a powerful tool to both address and prevent these challenges in our societies.

    Even if we leave in a peaceful Country where there is no conflict, we need to embrace peace education to address the challenges such as the mushrooming of gangs or junkies, crime and various forms of abuses that represent a breach of human rights. Our Government needs to deal with the issue of junkies that are terrorising innocent people in communities by using education as a tool for both development and peace. One way we can prevent more children from becoming junkies is by investing in quality education and training that is accessible for all. Peace education is transformative as it enables learners to gain essential knowledge, values, attitudes, skills and behaviors that promote co-existence and a culture of peace, respect for cultural diversity and non-violence which are key to sustainable development.

    ZANEC is therefore pleased that Social justice is one of the principles that underpins our new curriculum, in which human rights is also posited as one of the main crosscutting issues. We are therefore hopeful that the new curriculum which spans from early childhood education to teacher education will lay a firm foundation for a more peaceful, just, and sustainable Zambia.

    Furthermore, we urge government and education stakeholders to work towards actualizing the UNESCO recommendations concerning education for international understanding, cooperation and peace designed to guarantee human rights and fundamental freedoms. The following are some of the UNESCO recommended principal guidelines for cultivating peace education

    -Recognize that quality education is a public and common good, which should be accessible to all;
    -Irrespective of race, colour, descent, gender, age, language, religion, political opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, economic or social condition of birth, or disability and any other grounds, ensure non-discrimination, inclusion and equity, in and through education, as prescribed by international human rights law while empowering learners as rights-holders;
    -Promote gender equality in and through education. It is key to the realization of the right to education for all and for the empowerment of women and girls;
    -Recognize education and learning as a continuous, lifelong, life-encompassing, holistic, humanistic and transformative process;
    -Encourage, empower and support the willingness, and build the capacity, of individuals to engage proactively in solving problems at community, local, national, regional and global levels notably through the ethical and responsible use of current and future technologies;
    -Promote intercultural and intergenerational dialogue for cooperation and solidarity and reinforce effective communication to help develop friendly relations between and among peoples, societies and countries.

    Finally, ZANEC encourages all citizens to take their children to school with the free education that is there as it gives an opportunity for every child to be in school and safe guard their future for national sustainable development and peace.
    For/ZANEC

    George Hamusunga
    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

  • ZANEC Press Statement on the 2023 Grade 7 and Grade 9 Examination Results

    ZANEC Press Statement on the 2023 Grade 7 and Grade 9 Examination Results

    The Zambia National Education Coalition (ZANEC) is pleased that the Minister of Education Honourable Douglas Syakalima MP released the 2023 Grade 7 and Grade 9 Examination Results on 26th December, 2023. ZANEC commends the Examinations Council of Zambia (ECZ) and other stakeholders in the Ministry of Education that no leakages were recorded in the Grade 7 and Grade 9 Examinations. We also appreciate the Government for repealing the ECZ Act No. 15 of 1983 as amended in 1994 and replacing it with the ECZ Act No. 3 of 2023, which has provided for highly stringent measures against examination malpractices. The new Act is already bearing fruit given the reduction in the examination malpractice at Grade 9 from 989 cases in 2022 to 54 cases in 2023.

    On the actual results released, it is commendable that there was an increase in 2023 in the total of candidates that registered for both Grade 7 and Grade 9 examinations compared to 2022. The increase in the number of candidates sitting for examinations can be attributed to the declaration of free education. We are also pleased that the automatic progression to Grade 8 has been abolished as the trend had compromised the quality of education at secondary school. It is important to note that only learners who demonstrate appropriate competencies must be allowed to progress to Grade 8. Therefore, the policy provision to have only Grade 7 candidates with divisions 1 to 3 proceed to Grade 8 is very progressive.

    Furthermore, we are pleased that the abolition of the automatic progression policy will leave 80,093 free spaces at primary school level which were previously utilized by Grade 8 learners. This increased space at the primary school level will provide space for those candidates who have not obtained a primary school certificate to repeat in 2024.

    However, ZANEC is saddened with: –
    1.The sudden change in the subjects that were considered for passing Grade 7 examinations in 2023 has brought about unnecessary speculations in the candidates mainly due to limited access to information. The Ministry of Education needed to share information on the non-release of Paper 1 and Paper 2 results in advance with stakeholders at school and district levels to avoid speculations.
    2.The absenteeism rate at Grade 7 of 9.60% representing 48,274 candidates is huge and worrying especially since it represents a huge jump from 1.21% in 2022.
    3.The low pass rate of 53.6% at Grade 9 level is very low, while the 30.28% of the Grade 7 candidates who obtained Division Four is also very high.

    To this effect, ZANEC is recommending the following measures to address the above challenges: –
    1.The Ministry, through ECZ must ensure that they widely communicate the new developments surrounding the treatment of Paper 1 and Paper 2 to the public.
    2.There is need to increase investment in improving the learning outcomes at both primary and secondary levels to reduce the failure rate.
    Finally, we urge our parents and guardians to prepare adequately for the children to return to school by 19th January 2024.

    For/ZANEC

    George Hamusunga
    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

  • SPEECH BY THE ZANEC BOARD CHAIRPERSON MR HENRY KABWE DELIVERED DURING THE EDUCATION AND SKILLS MEDIA AWARDS HELD ON MONDAY 11TH DECEMBER 2023 AT RADISSON BLU HOTEL IN LUSAKA

    SPEECH BY THE ZANEC BOARD CHAIRPERSON MR HENRY KABWE DELIVERED DURING THE EDUCATION AND SKILLS MEDIA AWARDS HELD ON MONDAY 11TH DECEMBER 2023 AT RADISSON BLU HOTEL IN LUSAKA

    THE GUEST OF HONOUR MINISTRY OF EDUCATION REPRESENTATIVE
    MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY REPRESENTATIVE
    GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS PRESENT
    COOPERATING PARTNERS PRESENT
    INDEPENDENT BROADCASTING AUTHORITY REPRESENTATIVE
    EDUCATION BROADCAST SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE
    MEDIA INSTITUTE FOR SOUTHERN AFRICA ZAMBIA REPRESENTATIVE
    POLICY MONITORING RESEARCH CENTER REPRESENTATIVE
    REPRESENTATIVES FROM VARIOUS MEDIA HOUSES
    ZANEC BOARD AND MEMBER ORGANISATIONS PRESENT
    OTHER CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS PRESENT,
    MEMBERS OF THE PRESS,
    INVITED GUESTS

    LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, ALL PROTOCOLS OBSERVED
    IT IS MY HONOUR AND PRIVILEGE TO WELCOME YOU ALL TO THE ZAMBIA NATIONAL EDUCATION COALITION (ZANEC) MEDIA AWARDS. WE APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENCE BECAUSE IT SHOWS HOW YOU VALUE THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA IN PROMOTING THE DELIVERY OF QUALITY EDUCATION FOR EVERYONE.

    FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY NOT BE AWARE, ZANEC IS A COALITION OF NON-STATE ACTORS WORKING IN THE EDUCATION AND SKILLS SECTOR. THE ORGANISATION FOCUSES ON RESEARCH, ADVOCACY, AND MEMBER CAPACITY BUILDING. ZANEC MEMBERS COMPRISE OF COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS (CBOS), FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS (FBO’S), NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS (NGOS), TEACHER TRADE UNIONS, AND STUDENT UNIONS. THE MEMBERSHIP OF ZANEC CURRENTLY STANDS AT 93 MEMBER ORGANISATIONS SPREAD ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

    LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
    THE THEME FOR THIS YEAR’S MEDIA AWARDS IS “THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA IN PROMOTING QUALITY AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION”. IN LINE WITH THE THEME, IT IS APPARENT THAT THE MEDIA PLAYS A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE IN AWARENESS RAISING ON THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT IN ANY GIVEN COUNTRY. THEY PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN CREATING AWARENESS AND ADVOCATING FOR QUALITY AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION FOR EVERYONE REGARDLESS OF THEIR GENDER, ABILITY, AGE, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC STATUS OR LOCATION. THE MEDIA BEING THE MOUTHPIECE OF VULNERABLE POPULATIONS HAS SIGNIFICANTLY CONTRIBUTED IN CHAMPIONING THE REALISATION OF THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION FOR ALL.
    IN ORDER TO BE EFFECTIVE IN THEIR WORK, THE MEDIA SHOULD BE ON TOP OF THINGS IN TERMS OF KNOWING NEW DEVELOPMENT AGENDAS, POLICIES, NATIONAL PLANS, INTERNATIONAL TREATIES AND PROTOCOLS. WE ARE OF THE VIEW THAT DOING SO AS HIGHLIGHTED ABOVE WILL ENABLE THE MEDIA TO PROMOTE THE TRUE VALUE OF EDUCATION. IT IS VITAL THAT THE MEDIA IS INNOVATIVE BY ENCOURAGING DECISION MAKERS, COMMUNITIES, FAMILIES AND PARENTS TO INVEST IN EDUCATION SYSTEMS THAT CAN PRODUCE HIGHER LEVEL SKILLS CAPABLE OF BRINGING ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

    LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
    THE OBJECTIVE OF THE AWARDS IS TO PROMOTE AND ENCOURAGE REPORTING ON THE EDUCATION AND SKILLS SECTOR BY RAISING PUBLIC AWARENESS, UNDERSTANDING, PARTICIPATION AND THE NEED FOR THE PROVISION OF QUALITY EDUCATION IN THE COUNTRY.
    THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
    1. IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE MEDIA WILL BE MOTIVATED TO REPORT ON EDUCATION-RELATED ADVOCACY ISSUES IN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING SUCH AS ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND INCLUSIVE QUALITY EDUCATION AMONG OTHERS.
    2. IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE MEDIA WILL BE REPORTING OBJECTIVELY ON SERVICE DELIVERY IN THE EDUCATION AND SKILLS SECTOR IN THE COUNTRY.
    3. OF COURSE, WE EXPECT THAT THERE WILL BE INCREASED VISIBILITY OF ZANEC THROUGH MEDIA REPORTING.
    OVERALL, THE AWARDS THAT ZANEC WILL BE PRESENTING TODAY ARE IN THREE MAIN CATEGORIES NAMELY:
    CATEGORY 1: SKILLS AND TERTIARY EDUCATION – WITH A BIAS TOWARDS ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND QUALITY OF EDUCATION IN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING;
    CATEGORY 2: YOUTH AND ADULT LITERACY EDUCATION (YALE);
    CATEGORY 3: GENDER AND EQUITY.

    LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
    ZANEC TAKES THIS OPPORTUNITY TO APPRECIATE OUR FUNDING PARTNER NORWEGIAN STUDENTS’ AND ACADEMIC INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE FUND (SAIH) WHO MADE IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE THESE MEDIA AWARDS. INDEED, SAIH HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN SUPPORTING ADVOCACY IN HIGHER LEARNING INSTITUTIONS SINCE 2012 AND THE MEDIA AWARDS IN PARTICULAR SINCE 2014.
    FINALLY, ZANEC WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CONGRATULATE ALL THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE CALL FOR THESE AWARDS.

    THANK YOU AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL!

  • ZANEC Press Statement on the International Day of the Girl Child

    ZANEC Press Statement on the International Day of the Girl Child

    Zambia National Education Coalition (ZANEC) is pleased to join the rest of the world in commemorating the International Day of the Girl Child which falls on 11th October. This international commemoration gives us the opportunity to reflect on our achievements and shortcomings in addressing the challenges that girls are facing in realizing their right to education.
    The theme for this year is “Invest in Girls’ Rights: Our Leadership, Our well-being”. Investment in girls and women spurs productivity and economic growth in any given society. Girls and women’s participation in education and leadership positions is essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 in Zambia. Moreover, women and girls represent more than half of the country’s population and therefore their full participation in the economy can increase our development prospects. For instance, Girls have the right to safety, education, and a healthy life, not only during these critical formative years but also as they mature into women.
    If adequately supported, girls have the potential to change the world – both as empowered girls of today and as tomorrow’s workers, mothers, entrepreneurs, mentors, household heads, and corporate and political leaders. An investment in realizing the power of girls can help uphold their rights today and offer promises for a more equitable and prosperous future. Achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment is integral to each of the 17 SGDs. Education is a key investment in girls because it is also an enabler of other rights such as the right to participation.
    Although we are pleased that there are more girls that enroll in Grade 1 compared to boys, we are concerned that girls start dropping out at a fast rate from Grade 4. According to the 2020 Education Statistical Bulletin produced by the Ministry of Education, we have 105,700 girls who are out of school in Zambia as a result of the high drop-out rate. Additionally, 16,491 girls got pregnant, and only 7,954 were readmitted representing 48.4% readmission rate. Child marriages due to bad cultural practices in rural parts of the country also contribute to high numbers of girls dropping out of school.
    It is clear from the statistics above that more needs to be done by the Ministry of Education and other stakeholders to keep our girl children in school. Therefore, Zambia needs to safeguard the rights of the girls and their well-being by mitigating vices such as teenage pregnancies and early marriages that deprive girls of their education opportunity. We also appeal to the government to ensure that all progressive gender legislations and policies are fully implemented such as the Children’s Code Act No 12 of 2022, Gender Equity and Equality Act No. 22 of 2015, National Gender Policy, the Anti Gender-Based Violence Act No. 1 of 2011, and Re-entry Policy among others.
    Finally, we wish all our girls a happy and successful 2023 International Day of the Girl Child.
    For/ZANEC 

    George Hamusunga
    Executive Director

  • THE PRESS STATEMENT ON THE 2024 NATIONAL BUDGET TO THE EDUCATION AND SKILLS SECTOR

    THE PRESS STATEMENT ON THE 2024 NATIONAL BUDGET TO THE EDUCATION AND SKILLS SECTOR

    The Zambia National Education Coalition (ZANEC) has analysed the 2024 National Budget that was presented to Parliament by the Minister of Finance and National Planning Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane on Friday, 29th September 2023 and would like to make the following observations.
    Overall, we are pleased with the following education budget measures which relate to the issues that the Coalition has been advocating for: –

    1. The increase in the allocation to the education sector from 13.9% in 2023 to 15.4% in 2024, representing an increase of 1.5%.
    2. ZANEC also commends the government’s plan to employ 4,200 teachers in 2024 and 1,200 non-teaching staff as this will contribute towards the provision of quality education in public schools.
    3. The increase in the school feeding programme from the current 39.4 million to 111. 7 million is commendable as it will encourage children to stay in school and improve the nutrition of the learners especially the young ones in ECE. Good nutrition can improve attendance, concentration, and overall academic performance for learners, especially in marginalized areas.
    4. The increase in allocation to the Higher Education Loans and Scholarship Board to ZMW 1, 234, 472, 290 in 2024 from ZMW 930, 226, 908 in 2023 is commendable. This will increase the number of learners, especially from vulnerable communities benefiting from the Loans Scheme.
    5. We are also happy that the government has completed constructing 69 secondary schools and the progress achieved so far on the 46 schools which are still under construction. Our hope is that the construction of these schools will be completed soon so that we can increase access to secondary education.
    6. We are also pleased that the government is aiming to improve internet connectivity for rural areas as this will help to enhance access to digital learning in schools.
    7. The allocation of ZMW 70, 000, 000 towards the procurement of equipment for TEVET will improve the quality of education provided under TEVET. Therefore, ZANEC urges the government to continue investing in this sector as large numbers of young people are enrolled in these institutions.
    8. The Girls’ Education and Women’s Empowerment and Livelihoods project’s goal to increase access to secondary education for girls is commendable. Covering 129,400 beneficiaries in 81 districts by April 2024 from the current 116,891 beneficiaries in 76 districts will benefit more girls.

    To this effect, ZANEC would like to recommend the following measures going forward: –

    1. ZANEC acknowledges the increased allocation to the education sector from 13.9% in 2023 to 15.4% in 2024 but we would lie to encourage government to continue working towards achieving a minimum of 20% allocation of the total budget according to the SADC and Cairo Protocols on Education sector. This will allow the country to make adequate investments in improving quality education for all.
    2. For the 1,200 non-teaching staff that will be recruited in 2024, we recommend that 15% should be ECE Caregivers as ECE teachers need a lot of assistance when handling learners at this age.
    3. There is a conflicting interest when resources for education sit under different ministries. We recommend that money under education even under the CDF should sit on the education budget for easy tracking of the disbursement and expenditure
    4. The government must ensure that at least 20% of the teachers employed in 2024 are Early Childhood Education teachers and 2.5% should be special education to promote disability inclusion. The remaining number should be teachers of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
    5. Grants to schools being allocated ZMW1,863,034,004.00 billion align well with free education from primary to secondary schools as this will ensure that the schools have the necessary requisites to offer quality education. We recommend strict adherence to expenditure guidelines by the schools to avoid using these funds for workshops and training of staff as opposed to the intended purpose.

    For/ ZANEC

    George Hamusunga
    Executive Director

  • ZANEC Press Statement on the 2023 Grade 9 External and GCE External Examination Results

    ZANEC Press Statement on the 2023 Grade 9 External and GCE External Examination Results

    The Zambia National Education Coalition (ZANEC) is pleased that the Minister of Education Honourable Douglas Syakalima MP released the 2023 Junior Secondary School Grade 9 External Examination results and the General Certificate of Education (GCE) Examination Results. ZANEC commends the Examinations Council of Zambia and other stakeholders in the Ministry of Education that no leakages were recorded in the Grade 9 and GCE Examinations. We also appreciate the step taken by the Ministry of Education to withdraw the examination center status for two schools because of examination malpractice. This is good as it will serve as a deterrent to examination centers that espouse this retrogressive practice. Additionally, the proposed research by the Minister designed to investigate why fewer boys than girls register for external examinations is important and we hope that it will be done as soon as possible. This is important because we know that girls are now performing better than boys at Grades 7, 9, and 12. Therefore we expect more boys to be the ones re-writing their examinations. We need to promote both boys and girls’ education to ensure that the boys are not left behind. Both girls and boys need to attain education for the development of the country to be meaningful.

    However, ZANEC is saddened with: –
    1.The decline in the pass rate of 7.79 percentage points at GCE level external results in 2023 compared to 2022 while at Grade 9 the pass rate declined by 4.62 percentage points.
    2.The highest failure rate was recorded at Grade 9 in Mathematics at 74.86% and Integrated Science at 61.43%.
    3.During the 2023 GCE Examination, 470 individual and 9 Whole Centre cases of examination malpractice were reported during the conduct of the 2023 GCE examination.

    To this effect, ZANEC is recommending the following measures to address the above challenges: –
    1.The decline in the pass rate at both the external examinations for Grade 9 and GCE compared to 2022 needs to be addressed by recruiting more teachers, especially in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects to reduce the teacher/pupil ratio as well as procuring relevant teaching and learning materials for quality education to be provided.
    2.More investment is needed in education prerequisites such as the provision of teaching and learning materials as well as the construction of science laboratories if we are to see an improvement in the performance of learners in STEM subjects.
    3.The Examination Council of Zambia needs to continue sensitizing learners and stakeholders on the dangers of engaging in examination malpractices and the associated consequences.

    For/ZANEC

    George Hamusunga
    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

  • ZANEC 2024 PRE-BUDGET PRESS STATEMENT ON THE EDUCATION AND SKILLS SECTOR

    ZANEC 2024 PRE-BUDGET PRESS STATEMENT ON THE EDUCATION AND SKILLS SECTOR

    The Zambia National Education Coalition (ZANEC) is pleased that the 2024 National Budget will be presented by the Minister of Finance Hon. Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane (MP) on Friday 29th September 2023. We would like to indicate that our expectations on the 2024 national budget detailed in this statement were also submitted to the Ministry of Finance and National Planning in collaboration with ActionAid TaxEd Alliance and the National Action for Quality Education in Zambia (NAQEZ) in June 2023.

    Specifically, our expectations on the revenue side of the budget are as follows:

    1. We expect that the budget will consider broadening the skills development levy into an education levy that will provide dedicated funding for the education sector.
    2. Revisit Double Taxation Agreements (DTA) through renegotiation, development, and publication of the DTA policy and cancellation of harmful/old treaties. Renegotiate for the reform of the current DTAs in a manner that can help increase taxes and minimize capital flight.
    3. We also expect that the Minister of Finance will announce progressive taxation measures that will ensure that multinational companies pay fair taxes to help increase revenue and avert the current revenue loss of
    $635million which we suffer annually according to the Tax Justice Network.

    Our Expectations on the expenditure side of the budget are as follows.

    1. Increase the share of the education budget from the current 13.9% in 2023 to at least 15% of the National Budget.
    2. Allocate 6% of the Education Budget towards infrastructure development to construct more Secondary Schools and Boarding Facilities to address the challenges of inadequate Secondary and Boarding Schools.
    3. Allocate more resources to go towards a digital real-time database for schools and devolve the system between the school and the Ministry.
    4. We recommend that the government increases the allocation of financial resources to go towards vocational training for both teachers and learners and recruiting and equipping more qualified teachers to teach STEM and life skills.
    5. Decentralise the Higher Education, Loans and Scholarship Board (HELSB) to improve information access to learners in rural areas and also enable them to apply for these loans.
    6. Increase funding towards menstrual hygiene and the re-entry policy to retain more girls in school
    7. Secondary school and skills development bursaries under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) need to be administered by the Ministry of Education directly i.e. District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) office. This will allow for the prudent utilization of allocated resources because the Ministry of Education understands the need.

    I thank you.

    For/ZANEC
    George Hamusunga
    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

  • Welcome remarks read by the ZANEC Board Member and Chairperson for Skills and Tertiary Subsector Committee, Mrs Christine Nabeba Mwasiti Menda during the Advocacy Follow-up engagement meeting on Academic Freedom Best Practices (Learning Through Virtual Platforms) on 19th September 2023

    Welcome remarks read by the ZANEC Board Member and Chairperson for Skills and Tertiary Subsector Committee, Mrs Christine Nabeba Mwasiti Menda during the Advocacy Follow-up engagement meeting on Academic Freedom Best Practices (Learning Through Virtual Platforms) on 19th September 2023

    Members of Parliament from the Education, Science and Technology Committee Present
    Ministry of Education (MoE) Representative
    Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) Representative
    Higher Education Authority (HEA) Representative
    Zambia Qualifications Authority (ZAQA) Representative
    Technical Education, Vocational, and Entrepreneurship Training Authority (TEVETA) Representative
    Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) Representative
    Dean of Students Present
    Student Union Leaders from various Universities and Colleges Present
    Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) Present
    ZANEC Members, Board and Staff Present
    Members of the Press
    May I simply say all Protocols observed

    It is my honour and privilege to welcome you all our distinguished guests to this engagement meeting on Academic Freedom Best Practices -Learning Through Virtual Platforms.

    Ladies and Gentlemen
    The continued evolution of education towards virtual platforms presents both opportunities and challenges. In the context of academic freedom, it is imperative to address these shifts to ensure that all students can access, engage with, and benefit from digital learning in higher and tertiary education. It is important to note that the COVID-19 pandemic helped accelerate the adoption of virtual learning as well as revealing disparities in access and resources. In Zambia, a considerable number of students are marginalized due to limitations in accessing online platforms, often resulting from financial constraints and a lack of necessary devices or reliable connectivity.

    According to the study that was conducted by ZANEC in 2022 titled “Assessment of the Status of Education Technology and Digital Literacy Levels Among Teachers, Parents and Learners in Zambia” the learners were disproportionately affected in terms of access to technology, digital device, availability internet connectivity, geographic isolation, and the high cost of internet bundles. As a result, the educational experience of these students is compromised, leading to inequalities in their pursuit of knowledge and future opportunities.

    Ladies and Gentlemen
    Therefore, this initiative seeks to find solutions to these issues in order to create a conducive learning environment for all students, regardless of their circumstances when it comes to access to online learning.
    ZANEC hopes that the platform created by this engagement meeting will facilitate the sharing of experiences, best practices, and innovative solutions among participants.

    The overall objective of this meeting is to engage key stakeholders on how learning through virtual platforms can enhance academic freedom best practices for all students regardless of their social, economic, cultural, and gender differences.

    Ladies and Gentlemen
    ZANEC is grateful to Youth Empowerment and Transformation Trust (YETT) for the financial support which has made it possible to hold this advocacy follow-up initiative today. The coalition has held a number of advocacy activities to promote a conducive learning environment for students in higher learning institutions by collaborating and partnering with YETT on a project called the Student Academic Freedom Regional Advocacy Program (SAFRAP).

    I wish all of us present here a fruitful deliberation that will provide solutions to effective and efficient eLearning and academic freedom in our tertiary institutions.

    Thank you and God bless you all.

  • ZANEC PRESS STATEMENT ON INTERNATIONAL LITERACY DAY

    ZANEC PRESS STATEMENT ON INTERNATIONAL LITERACY DAY

    The Zambia National Educational Coalition (ZANEC) is pleased to join the rest of the world in commemorating International Literacy Day. This day is important in the education calendar as it provides us with the opportunity to reflect on the importance of education to human and economic development. Literacy, which simply refers to one’s ability to read and write should be a must especially in this era where almost everything is being digitalized.

    This year’s theme, which is “Promoting Literacy for a World in Transition: Building the Foundation for Sustainable and Peaceful societies” is very timely. Indeed, the world is transitioning from the impact of the COVID 19 on education. As we transition into the post COVID 19 period, it is important to build on foundations that will ensure we achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. To achieve this, we need to increase investment in literacy and numeracy in a way that promotes values of a sustainable and peaceful society. Therefore, there is need to embrace blended learning narrowing down the digital divide between the vulnerable and privileged population to ensure equitable access to digital platforms both for learning, Communication and accessing economic opportunities. Literacy skills are expanding and evolving as people engage more and more with information and learning through digital technology. Zambia has no choice but to invest in equitable information communication technologies that can facilitate the easy acquisition of literacy skills.

    Literacy plays a significant role in a person’s wellbeing as it empowers and liberates people through improving their lives by expanding capabilities which in turn reduce poverty, increase participation in the labour market and has positive effects on health and sustainable development. It should be noted that nations with high literacy rates are also making significant progress in their social, economic, cultural and political development. For example, literate women have a positive ripple effect on all aspects of development. They have greater life choices for themselves and an immediate impact on the health and education of their families which in turn impacts positively on the society at large.

    However, we note with concern that Youth and Adult Literacy Education continue to be the least resourced subsector in the Education and Skills Sector. Evidence from the analysis of the 2023 National budget allocation to the Education and Skills Sector show that only 0.02% was located to this important subsector. There is no increase that was registered from the allocation for 2022. meaning that, as a country, we have not prioritised investment in the Youth and Adult Literacy Sector despite its immense potential.

    We would therefore like to take this opportunity to make the following recommendations to our Ministry of Education. We recommend that the Ministry must consider:
    •Employing adult education graduates to support the delivery of adult literacy in adult literacy centres.
    •Increase the provision of training equipment as well as teaching and learning materials (radios, books, charts) in adult literacy centres.
    •Purchase lighting equipment for centres such as solar lamps and solar panels.
    •Budget for salaries for adult literacy instructors on annual basis.
    •At least 5% of the teachers to be deployed next year should be adult literacy teachers.
    •The Ministry should construct more centres for YALE and lobby for CDF investment towards building adult literacy centres.

    Finally, ZANEC would like to wish all of you a reflective, happy and fruitful International Literacy Day commemoration.

    For/ZANEC
    George Hamusunga
    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR