Ministry of Education Hands Over USD 1 Million Worth of Vehicles to Enhance Project Supervision
The Ministry of Education has bolstered its monitoring and supervisory capabilities with the handover of 10 hardtop Toyota Land Cruiser motor vehicles, valued at USD 1,023,668.40, to all ten provinces.
The vehicles were handed over by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary for Administration, Ms. Noriana Muneku, during a ceremony held in Lusaka.
These motor vehicles are designated for the effective implementation of projects under the Zambia Education Programme Coordinating Unit (ZEPCU), which oversees the Zambia Education Enhancement Project (ZEEP) and the Zambia Enhancing Early Learning (ZEEL) initiative.
Ms. Muneku emphasised that this handover reflects the government’s commitment to the successful execution of the Education For All Policy.
“The Ministry of Education is constructing 440 Early Childhood Education (ECE) facilities in 45 selected districts for children aged 3-6 years, as well as 120 secondary schools across the ten provinces. Reliable transport is crucial for the success of these projects, particularly in hard-to-reach areas,” she stated.
In addition to the vehicles, the ZEEP and ZEEL projects have also acquired 107 motorcycles—62 for ZEEP and 45 for ZEEL—to ensure that district-level staff can efficiently address project needs and maintain smooth operations within the Ministry.
Ms. Muneku cautioned the Provincial Education Offices (PEOs), project managers, and District Education Board Secretaries (DEBS) to ensure that the vehicles are strictly used for their intended purpose.
She stressed that the challenge of delayed construction due to inadequate transport should now be mitigated. “With these motor vehicles, I will not tolerate any excuses for poor supervision of projects, programmes, and activities,” she warned.
Speaking on behalf of the PEOs, Luapula Province PEO, Ms. Grace Sinkolongo, expressed gratitude for the vehicles, acknowledging that limited transport had been a significant challenge in monitoring ongoing projects. She assured the Permanent Secretary that the vehicles would be used in accordance with the prescribed guidelines.
The Ministry of Education, supported by the World Bank, is committed to improving equitable access to quality education through the implementation of the ZEEP and ZEEL projects. These initiatives are coordinated by ZEPCU, which aims to deepen the impact on human capital development across the country.
