Education Act Amendments Near Completion

The government through the Ministry of Education has announced the advancement of the proposed amendments to the Education Act of 2011, with the draft changes having been submitted to the Ministry of Justice.

‎Education Minister Douglas Syakalima said the submissions are meant to undergo scrutiny before being taken to parliament for further processes. 

‎“We have already submitted the proposed amendments to the Ministry of Justice for refinement,” Mr. Syakalima said, adding that once enacted, the revised law will “guarantee free education from Early Childhood Education through secondary school.”

‎He further noted that the rise in enrolments since the rollout of the free education policy demonstrates that "financial barriers had long prevented many children from accessing learning opportunities."

‎Mr. Syakalima also highlighted that teacher recruitment, the completion of infrastructure projects and the reinstatement of meal allowances reflect the government’s continued commitment to improving the education sector.

‎During a courtesy call, the Educational Association for Quality Assurance in Zambia, led by Dr. Chilao Mutesa, expressed support for the reforms. 

 "The association’s mission is to strengthen quality assurance across institutions and the government should consider including free education as law." said Dr Mutesa.