ZANEC

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  • ZANEC PRESS STATEMENT ON THE COMMEMORATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE AFRICAN CHILD

    ZANEC PRESS STATEMENT ON THE COMMEMORATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE AFRICAN CHILD

    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

  • TERMS OF REFERENCE -VIDEO DOCUMENTARY ON THE STATUS OF EDUCATION IN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING

    TERMS OF REFERENCE -VIDEO DOCUMENTARY ON THE STATUS OF EDUCATION IN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING

    1.0     INTRODUCTION

    The Zambia National Education Coalition (ZANEC) is a network of Civil Society Organizations registered under the Registrar of Societies Act on 3rd July, 2002 on certificate number ORS/102/35/2581. The organization currently has sixty-seven (67) Member Organizations comprising of Community Based Organizations, Faith Based Organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations, Student Unions and Teacher Trade Unions.

    The organization’s mandate is to coordinate civil society advocacy for quality, equitable and inclusive education for all Zambians.

    ZANEC’s vision is ‘A sustainable and inclusive education system that responds to national aspirations and fosters an environment for self-fulfillment. The mission of the Coalition is to promote quality and inclusive education for all, through influencing of policy, building consensus, holding duty bearers accountable, and strengthening the capacities of stakeholders in the education sector.

    ZANEC with support from DANIDA through Plan International Zambia intends to do a video documentary on the documentation of the score card in Chadiza and Vubwi Districts in Eastern Province.

    2.0     RATIONALE OF THE VIDEO DOCUMENTARY

    Zambia over the years has seen unprecedented growth in the number of students seeking higher education in public & private universities. Public universities are shrouded in high lecture, student ratios, little or more so no money for research and development let alone resources for management and administrative support.  Most recently some private universities and colleges have been challenged with matters of unqualified staff and poor service delivery. According to the ZANEC Status of Education report 2016, public universities are legally supposed to be autonomous and self-sustaining, they have continued to suffer from chronic budget deficits due to high operational costs coupled with large administrative and management costs. According to The World Bank Group (2015:7) “there is almost five times more nonacademic staff in the public universities per student than at the sampled private universities”. As a result, public universities are unable to attract funding from the private sector. Instead, they are heavily dependent on government funding which is also inadequate to ensure the delivery of quality education.  This scenario is the genesis of public institutions challenge to provide quality education in Zambian higher institutions of learning. The failure to be self-sustaining is the breeding ground for compromised provision of quality education and the ultimate realization of Academic Freedoms.

     

    ZANEC has been advocating for increased access, quality service delivery  and promotion of Academic Freedoms through SAIH funding since 2013. The project focused on promotion of access to higher education through advocacy for an operational Loans and Scholarship Scheme, promotion of Academic Freedoms among students  and lecturers, Strengthening the capacity of Students’ Unions for effective governance and engagement.

     

    Higher Institutions of learning in the Country have continued to be downgraded on the international rankings. It is envision that this documentary will bring bare the key challenges and issues that these institutions face with the view to advocate for improved provision of education services in the institutions.

    2.1 Objective

    1. 1. Create an advocacy tool that will create awareness on the state of education in Higher Learning Institutions in Zambia.

     

     2.2 Specific Objectives:

    1. To produce video documentary that will raise awareness on the status of education in Higher Learning Institutions.
    2. Facilitate for the voices of the students and that of education service providers to be heard.

     

    3        SCOPE OF WORK

    Specifically the following will be the tasks:

    1. Work with the ZANEC Secretariat Staff to agree on content.
    2. Capture agreed upon institutions.
    • Conduct key video interviews with the government officials from the ministry of Higher Education, Lecturer and Student Union Leadership, Student from both Private and Public Higher Institutions. Project partners and key stakeholders of education on the good school project.
    1. Recording of learning environments and processes.

     

    4.0 DELIVERABLES AND DURATION OF CONSULTANCY

    The assignment is expected to be completed within thirty (30) working days timeframes to be jointly agreed between the ZANEC Secretariat and the Consultant, with the following deliverables.

    1. 8 days filming of the video documentary
    2. 5 days production of the video documentary
    3. 14th day draft video documentary presented to ZANEC and project partners
    4. 16th Day final video documentary delivered to ZANEC.

     

    5.0 REQUIRED COMPETENCIES

    • The consultant must have more than three (3) years of experience in video documentary production.
    • Proven track record in video documentary production.
    • Knowledge in video shooting, documentary and production.

    Deadline for applications is the close of business on 23rd October, 2018

    PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATIONS TO:

    The Executive Director

    Zambia National Education Coalition (ZANEC)

    Baptist Fellowship Building

    Conner of Makishi and Great East Road,

    Plot 3061/2

    Lusaka, Zambia

    Telephone number +26011226422

    Mobile: +260976198152

    Or email: director@zanec.org.zm /

    admin@zanec.org.zm