Government has taken a historic step toward securing free education as a legal right, with the Ministry of Education initiating amendments to the Education Act of 2011.
Minister of Education, Hon. Douglas Syakalima, has announced that the proposed amendments have already been submitted to the Ministry of Justice for fine-tuning.
Once enacted, the law will guarantee free education for children from Early Childhood Education through secondary school.
“We have seen the massive benefits that the introduction of free education has brought to the country, and we want to ensure that this policy is backed by law,” Hon. Syakalima said.
The Minister stressed that the surge in school enrolments demonstrates the strong demand for education, previously hindered by school fees.
He further expressed satisfaction with the establishment of the Educational Association for Quality Assurance in Zambia (EAQAZ), which will play a key role in monitoring and enhancing the quality of education nationwide.
“As government, we have provided free education, recruited teachers, supplied desks, completed stalled infrastructure projects, and reintroduced meal allowances. Now, what we want is to ensure that the provision of quality education is upheld,” Hon. Syakalima added.
During a courtesy call on the Minister of Education, EAQAZ president Dr. Chilao Mutesa, who was accompanied by a four-member delegation, formally introduced the Association to the Minister.
Dr. Mutesa highlighted EAQAZ’s mission to promote excellence, foster collaboration, and strengthen capacity in quality assurance across Zambia’s education sector.
Dr. Mutesa explained that EAQAZ is a professional body comprising quality assurance practitioners and higher education institutions.
“EAQAZ wishes to convey its support for the recent policy changes, such as the introduction of free education, teacher recruitment, and the revision of the school curriculum, among other positive initiatives,” Dr. Mutesa said.
He further proposed that the free education policy be enshrined in the Constitution to ensure its permanence.
(C) Ministry of Education