By CHILA NAMAIKO –

 CHOMA District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) Mutinta Mubanga has called for stronger adult literacy programmes to enhance education standards among ordinary citizens.

 Ms Mubanga said her office had embarked on promotion of adult literacy and pre-school teaching programmes for all schools in the district.

 She said at a community development meeting with residents of Kamuza Township recently that adult literacy was among valuable programmes Government was promoting to enhance education standards.

 “Government has big plans for the education sector this year and beyond. In Choma, my office is promoting adult literacy programmes for illiterate residents to access education,” she said.
She commended Adastra Basic School for championing the adult literacy programme in which some residents, particularly elderly people, were currently attending evening classes.

 Ms Mubanga urged children to embrace the free education policy being offered in all Government schools in Zambia from Grades one to seven.

 She said lack of school uniforms among children should not deter them from attending classes.

 Ms Mubanga said Government’s desire in future was to expand the free education policy from Grade one to 12.

 A resident, Robert Kasoma appealed to the DEBS to intensify inspections in Government schools allegedly charging fees from grades one to seven despite the free education policy in place.
Another resident, Charity Kasiyona complained that members of the parents-teachers associations in some schools were harassing pupils who failed to pay fees.