A government initiative offering free education in Zambia has resulted in a significant surge in student enrollment, although the quality of education has been hampered by inadequate infrastructure.
Introduced in 2021, Zambia’s free primary and secondary school program has seen an additional two million students enter classrooms nationwide over the past three years.
While hailed as a positive step toward empowering Zambia’s youth, the lack of parallel investments in infrastructure has posed challenges to the quality of education provided. Congested classrooms, a shortage of teachers, and insufficient desks or textbooks have prevented students from meeting government-set educational benchmarks, according to UNICEF, the United Nations’ children agency.
Despite an impressive 87.9% enrollment rate in primary schools, secondary school enrollment stands at just 42.9%, with only 67.5% of primary school graduates transitioning to secondary education.
“The increase in enrollment mirrors a broader trend across sub-Saharan Africa, where more children are attending school than ever before,” noted UNICEF.
In February, the African Union launched the “Year of Education 2024,” urging governments continent-wide to accelerate efforts to ensure quality education for all citizens.
UNICEF emphasized the urgency of improving educational standards amid the enrollment boom. Zambia has already allocated over $1 billion to its education sector since 2021, with plans to construct 170 new schools and recruit 55,000 additional teachers by 2026. Currently, 37,000 new teachers have been hired.
Despite the challenges, Education Minister Douglas Syakalima views overcrowded classrooms as a positive sign. “I’d rather have children in a crowded classroom than on the streets,” he said, asserting that education remains Zambia’s foremost economic policy.
Efforts to enhance educational infrastructure and resources are crucial as Zambia seeks to maximize the potential of its burgeoning student population.
