“We Are Proud of Zambia’s Education System,” Says Israeli Ambassador
The Israeli Ambassador to Zambia, Her Excellency Ofra Farhi, has expressed admiration for Zambia’s education system, particularly the Government’s commitment to Early Childhood Education (ECE), describing it as key to national development.
Ambassador Farhi said this during a courtesy call on the Minister of Education, Honourable Douglas Syakalima, at his office in Lusaka. She noted that Israel values the strong bilateral relations between the two countries and is willing to share best practices, especially in the education sector.
She praised Zambia’s focus on foundational learning, stating that Israel also prioritises ECE as a cornerstone for advancing socio-economic development, particularly in an era shaped by Artificial Intelligence (AI).
“Our ECE system in Israel is highly advanced and helps learners develop a strong understanding of the world around them from an early age,” Ambassador Farhi said.
In response, Hon. Syakalima said Early Childhood Education is a critical component of Zambia’s transformation agenda, aimed at promoting self-sufficiency and lifelong skills among citizens.
“This Government realised that to change people’s mindsets and drive national development, we had to start with Early Childhood Education, supported by the Free Education Policy,” he said.
The Minister added that Zambia remains open to innovative ideas that enhance education, including knowledge-sharing initiatives in key economic sectors such as agriculture.
He noted that although Zambia is endowed with vast arable land, much of it remains underutilised, hence the encouragement for young people to pursue agricultural training to boost production and research.
Hon. Syakalima further emphasised that the Government’s goal is to build a productive nation, with education serving as a vital tool to achieve sustainable development.
