22nd September, 2025.
The current state of our education system is a betrayal of Zambia’s greatest resource: its children. For years, we have witnessed a decline masked by statistics of increased enrollment, creating a generation underserved and unprepared. The Citizens First movement, under the visionary leadership of President Harry Kalaba, rejects this failed model. We do not see quantity and quality as opposing choices; we see a quality education for every child as the non-negotiable foundation of a prosperous Zambia.
Our nation’s teachers are the pillars of this foundation, yet they have been shamefully neglected. The disgraceful pupil-teacher ratios, often exceeding 70:1, are a direct result of poor planning and a lack of political will. This crisis is compounded by the government’s failure to provide adequate infrastructure, leaving our children to learn in overcrowded, dilapidated classrooms, and often without basic sanitation.
The Citizens First Commitment: Empowerment Through Action
Under President Kalaba, our education policy is built on a single, powerful principle: empowerment. We will empower learners with the environment and tools to succeed, and we will empower teachers with the dignity and means to thrive.
Our concrete plan to achieve this is:
1. Empowering Our Teachers with Dignity: We will immediately review and restructure the conditions of service for all educators. A Citizens First government will ensure that teacher salaries are not only competitive but are a living wage that meets their basic needs and provides for their families. This is our top priority. We will couple this with a massive recruitment drive to reduce class sizes and a renewed investment in continuous professional development. A respected teacher is an effective teacher.
2. Empowering Our Learners with Modern Infrastructure: We declare a national emergency on educational infrastructure. We will launch an ambitious “Schools for Tomorrow” program to construct and rehabilitate thousands of modern classrooms, equipped with laboratories, libraries, and digital learning centers. We will ensure every school has access to clean water and safe sanitation. Every child deserves a conducive environment for learning, not a shack under a tree.
3. Empowering Our Nation with a Relevant Curriculum: We will overhaul the curriculum to move beyond rote memorization. Our focus will be on critical thinking, creativity, digital skills, and vocational training, ensuring that every learner graduates not just with a certificate, but with the practical skills to contribute to our economy and innovate for our future.
The era of empty promises is over. The era of empowerment begins now. Citizens First, under President Harry Kalaba, is committed to building an education system that serves every Zambian child, supports every Zambian teacher, and secures every Zambian’s future.
Issued by;Prof. Leonard Lupiya Chairperson – Research and Political Analysis Citizens First.