By Mike Mwendachabe
The National Council of Student Unions (NACOSU) has renewed calls for the formal legalisation of free education, insisting that the policy must be entrenched in law to ensure long-term protection and equal access for all Zambian children.
Addressing the media, NACOSU Chairperson Michelo Chizombe said free education should move beyond policy pronouncements and be закрепed as a legal right. He noted that increased school enrolments across the country demonstrate that removing financial barriers has significantly improved access to education, particularly for learners from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Chizombe emphasized that enshrining free education into law would safeguard the policy from future reversals and guarantee continuity regardless of changes in government. He described education as a fundamental right that should not be determined by a learner’s social or economic status.
Student leaders from institutions including Copperbelt University and Levy Mwanawasa Medical University also welcomed Parliament’s passage of Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 7 of 2025. They described the amendment as a landmark development that strengthens youth participation in national governance by creating clearer pathways for young people to engage meaningfully with Parliament.
NACOSU said the developments represent more than a routine press briefing, but a firm declaration of the student movement’s commitment to education equality and youth inclusion in national decision-making.
The student body reaffirmed its position that free education, equal opportunity, and a strong youth voice are central to Zambia’s future and called on lawmakers to act decisively in translating policy gains into permanent legal guarantees.