Zambia’s ambitious free education programme, introduced three years ago, has triggered a surge in school enrolment but faces significant hurdles due to a lack of teachers and infrastructure.
The initiative, aimed at providing free primary and secondary education, was introduced in 2021 and has led to overcrowded classrooms and insufficient resources, with some classes having as many as 100 pupils.
According to reports monitored here on Monday, beneficiaries of the programme have to brave chilly mornings as they have to leave home early in order to get to school early due to a shortage of desks.
Those who come late have to sit on the cold floor – not a comfortable position to be in during the current winter season.
Education Minister Douglas Syakalima described the situation as “a good problem,” saying he would “rather let the children be in a congested classroom than in the street.”
He told reporters that President Hakainde Hichilema’s government has invested over US$1 billion in the education sector since the policy’s inception, with plans to build over 170 new schools and recruit 55,000 new teachers by 2026.
So far, 37,000 teachers have been hired, a development that has created another challenge since the new educators require accommodation at some of the schools located in rural areas.
