Minister Sikumba Charts New National Mandate for ZITHS
The Minister of Tourism, Honourable Rodney Sikumba, has called on the Zambia Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Studies (ZITHS) to assume a national leadership role as the anchor institution for tourism and hospitality human capital development, coordination and data management.
Speaking during the exit meeting of the ZITHS Governing Council, Honourable Sikumba emphasised the urgent need for ZITHS to support Government with credible, comprehensive and up-to-date national data on training institutions, student enrolments, skills outputs and labour market demands.
He noted that such data is critical for evidence-based policy formulation, targeted investment and the sustainable growth of the tourism and hospitality sector.
The Minister further stressed the importance of strengthening quality assurance frameworks, certification systems and occupational standards, including the enhancement of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) mechanisms, to ensure industry relevance, competitiveness and international credibility.
Honourable Sikumba also highlighted that the integration of tourism and hospitality education into the school curriculum must be matched with deliberate teacher capacity building, close coordination with the Ministry of Education, and robust monitoring and evaluation systems to achieve lasting impact.
Reaffirming Government’s commitment to education, the Minister cited President Hakainde Hichilema’s consistent position that an educated population forms the foundation of national development.
In this context, he directed that the ZITHS Act be reviewed to address gaps in governance, institutional autonomy, certification authority, asset management and accountability, while balancing ZITHS’ social mandate with commercial sustainability.
“ZITHS must firmly position itself as the national anchor institution for tourism and hospitality human capital development, coordination and data management, underpinned by financial transparency, accountability and sustainable business models,” Honourable Sikumba said.
Presenting the 2022–2025 Exit Report, ZITHS Governing Council Chairperson Ms Mulemwa Moongwa said the Council’s tenure focused on institutional recovery, governance reforms and the strategic repositioning of ZITHS as a national centre of excellence for tourism human capital development and coordination.
She explained that when the Council assumed office, ZITHS faced significant financial, governance and infrastructure challenges, necessitating a comprehensive transformation agenda.
Ms Moongwa reported key achievements, including strengthened financial controls, increased student enrolment to over 1,000, adoption of UN Tourism Education Guidelines, the reintroduction of apprenticeship programmes and enhanced industry partnerships.
However, she acknowledged that infrastructure limitations and legacy financial obligations remain ongoing challenges.
“This Exit Report is a comprehensive accountability document that captures the progress made, lessons learnt and the strategic priorities required to secure ZITHS’ long-term sustainability,” Ms Moongwa said.
The meeting marked the conclusion of the Governing Council’s tenure and set a clear strategic direction for ZITHS’ future role in supporting Zambia’s tourism and hospitality sector.
