• THE Robert Kapasa Makasa University construction is completed.

By GETHSEMANE MWIZABI –
WITHOUT doubt, education plays an important role in Zambia’s national development.
An educated society can make informed decisions and contribute or participate effectively in the country’s social and economic growth.
From time the Patriotic Front (PF) assumed office, more than 19,700 teachers have been recruited to reduce on the pupil teacher ratio.
With all this development in the sector, it is clear that better things and days are yet to come and these efforts should be strengthened.
More schools were being built without taking into consideration the accommodation aspect.
This had impacted negatively on the teachers recruitment exercise as teachers especially those in rural areas don’t have decent accommodation and end up staying in substandard structure not befitting their status.
In the remotest parts of the country, some teachers at times are forced to be sleeping in classrooms because of the accommodation shortages.
This also explains why teachers shun rural school because of the hardships they under go through such as accommodation.
Rural schools should be fitted with best housing for teachers so that they should have no excuses to shun such the schools.
With improved conditions of service which were recently implemented in the civil service coupled with good housing facilities in the rural schools, the teachers would be motivated to work in these areas and be able to contribute to national development.
There is no doubt, the coming of the Patriotic Front Government in 2011 spelled out a new phenomenon in the education sector.
It is one of rehabilitation of old infrastructure and construction of new universities.
In the last three years President Michael Sata, has laid foundations stones for building new universities to carter for the growing enrolment needs in Zambia.
Education and skills development have been key to the government’s goal of achieving accelerated national development.
To improve access to and quality of education, Government has completed construction of 41 of the 84 targeted secondary schools representing 49 per cent completion rate within a short space of time, while the remaining 43 schools are at various stages of construction.
Construction works are on-going at Robert Makasa, Paul Mushindo and Palabana universities.
As regards, Chalimbana, Mukuba and Kwame Nkhrumah universities, additional infrastructure is being put in place.
Furthermore, to address the critical shortage of student accommodation in institutions of higher learning, Government has embarked on a programme to construct 4,160 bed-space student hostels at the University of Zambia, 3,200 for the Copperbelt University, 1,280 for Mulungushi University and 960 bed spaces at the Evelyn Hone College of applied arts and commerce.
The construction is being done under the framework of direct budget support and public private partnership.
Works have since commenced on the vital education projects.
The birth or rather the building new universities is part of the PF programme and so far lots of things have happened.
The Robert Kapasa Makasa University in Chinsali of Muchinga Province is progressing well.
It was the inaugural university whose construction has been progressing pretty well is testimony to the Government’s commitment and campaign promises.
Last year, the president laid foundation stones for the construction of the Palabana and the Chalimbana University in Chongwe District.
The two universities would add value to the education sector, as the University of Zambia (UNZA), has challenges of over enrolment.
For a long time now, there has been a lot of challenges in terms of accommodation at the UNZA and the Copperbelt University.
Thus the creation of new universities would help solve accommodation crisis in already established universities.
In the Western Province, plans are underway to build the Sir Mwanawina University, which would be first in the province.
Construction of new universities is being followed by the upgrading of infrastructure in established universities.
As though this was not enough, Government completed the transformation of the Nkrumah College of education in Kabwe into a fully fledged university of Social Sciences.
Government has further completed the transformation of the Copperbelt College of education in Kitwe into a fully fledged Mukuba University of Natural Sciences.
There is so doubt, the establishment of these universities underscores the PF Government’s determination to increase access to tertiary education especially for young people who are currently competing to go to the only three public universities, being the University of Zambia, Copperbelt University and Mulungushi University.
President Sata’s Government is determined to establish a university in each of the ten provinces.
It is sad, that regardless of the growing population, Zambia has for the past 49 years of independence, lagged behind in the expansion of tertiary education especially at university level, due to the limited number of universities in the country.
For this reason, the PF Government is determined to change this scenario.
The PF policy manifestoe is in three categories mainly early education, primary and secondary level and finally tertiary education.
In the Early education level, the PF government says it intends to “provide and for early childhood education centres and teachers in all local government wards in Zambia.
The ruling party also promises to equip teachers with training at diploma and degree levels in early childhood education.
On the Primary and secondary, the PF manifesto has pledged to re-introduce “free and compulsory education for all (that is from grade one to grade twelve)”, accompanied by a new commitment to a twin track approach to education with students having the choice to pursue an “academic route” or “technical” path.
This is new and seeks to respond to concerns that the current approach is too focused on getting a job rather than entrepreneurship or other innovative practices.
Perhaps the most eye catching proposals relate to provisions to look after the teachers in rural areas.
There are promises of increasing rural hardship allowance, providing new housing and government guaranteed mortgages or loans.
On Tertiary education, the PF Government is increasing public universities by converting existing colleges into public universities.
The focus is on a public funded higher education system.
There’s also a proposal to introduce a new bursary scheme for tertiary education for all pupils who qualify to higher learning institutions. The beneficiaries would either repay the money or “work off” the benefit they have received.
The PF has in its manifestoe plans to create a new independent regulatory body to register and enforce education standards in public and private universities.
The idea of opening a new University in each of the ten provinces in the country is meant to absorb youths from secondary schools.