A free education programme in Zambia has led to a huge increase in student enrollment. A lack of infrastructure, however, means that the quality of education remains low.
In 2021, the Zambian government implemented free primary and secondary education. Three years later, classrooms across the country have welcomed an additional two million students.
While this initiative is seen as a significant step towards a better future for young Zambians, insufficient investment in infrastructure is compromising educational quality. Overcrowded classrooms, a shortage of teachers, and limited desks and textbooks are hindering students from meeting key educational targets set by the government, according to UNICEF.
Although 87.9% of children are enrolled in primary school, only 42.9% net enrollment is observed in secondary school, with a 67.5% transition rate from primary to secondary stages.
- Education is the best economic policy
The overall increase in enrollment reflects a trend across sub-Saharan Africa, with more children in school than ever before, according to UNICEF.
The African Union in February launched its “Year of Education 2024” and called on governments across the continent to “accelerate progress towards achieving quality education for all.”
A key focus for policymakers now should be ensuring that the quality of that education is improved, UNICEF has said.
With over $1bn already invested in Zambia’s education sector since 2021, the country’s government says it plans to build over 170 new schools and recruit 55,000 new teachers by 2026. So far, 37,000 teachers have already been hired.
Despite the challenges, Education Minister Douglas Syakalima says that overcrowding is “a good problem”, with education “the best economic policy.”
“I’d rather let the children be in a congested classroom than in the street,” he says.
