Hon. Syakalima Applauds Free Education as Catalyst for National Development
Minister of Education, Hon. Douglas Syakalima, has hailed the introduction of free education as a transformative milestone in Zambia’s quest for sustainable national development.
Hon. Syakalima reaffirmed that a nation’s greatest asset lies in its people, underscoring the government’s unwavering commitment to ensuring inclusive and accessible education for all.
The Minister made these remarks when he received a six-member delegation from Liberia, which paid a courtesy call on him at his office in Lusaka.
“By providing free education, we are investing in our citizens to become experts across various sectors, which will ultimately drive Zambia’s development,” Hon. Syakalima said.
He highlighted that since the launch of the Free Education Policy in 2021, more than 2.3 million children have returned to school, over 40,000 teachers have been recruited, and school infrastructure is being expanded nationwide.
Commending the Liberian delegation for its initiative, the Minister stressed the importance of African nations learning from each other’s experiences.
“Africa must find its own solutions by interrogating itself,” he added.
The visiting Liberian delegation is undertaking a five-day benchmarking tour to study Zambia’s education system, with particular interest in the Teacher Management System administered by the Teaching Council of Zambia (TCZ).
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Liberia’s Deputy Minister of Instruction, Hon. Amos Fully, expressed gratitude for Zambia’s openness, noting that Liberia is transitioning to a digital teacher database.
“Our visit is timely, and we are confident that both Zambia and Liberia will benefit from shared experiences as we work towards achieving the African Union’s Continental Education Strategy for Africa,” said Hon. Fully.
Meanwhile, Dr Ebby Mubanga, Registrar of the Teaching Council of Zambia, revealed that Liberia is the seventh country in recent months to benchmark with the Council. “We are honoured to host them and contribute to regional education development,” Dr Mubanga stated.
The Ministry of Education has reiterated its commitment to fostering regional collaboration and sharing best practices to strengthen education systems across Africa.
