ANTHONY BWALYA WRITES….

When the President said he was NOT focused on reelection, this is the sort of stuff he meant: a total focus on fulfilling the core mandate of his ascension to leadership – the mandate to deliver on the basic, yet critical human development requirement EDUCATION.

Yesterday, at the start of the new school term, thousands of our children became beneficiaries of the new administration’s policy on free education. TICK THAT.

Today, you can also TICK and celebrate the release of close to K200m to support the skills development endeavors of our youths, and cushion the boarding school requirements for our children,particularly those from underprivileged homes.

This is part of the enhanced CDF plan.

This is what we meant when we said: A different Zambia is possible.

K198 MILLION FOR SECONDARY BOARDING SCHOOL AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT BURSARIES, RELEASED

The Ministry of Finance and National Planning has today released K198 million towards the First term Secondary Boarding Schools and Skills Development Bursary Scheme. The resources are part of the 20% allocated towards the Secondary Boarding Schools and Skills Development Bursary Scheme from the 2022 Constituency Development Fund.

According to the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, the selection of beneficiaries shall be conducted at community level through Ward Development Committees.

It is the resolve of the Government that savings arising from Governments policy to restructure expenditures through the elimination of subsidies, such as fuel, should steadily benefit our people. We do recognize the critical role that education plays in human capital formation and in economic growth over the long term. This is why we are happy to redirect resources to investing in young people through education. This will ensure job creation and socio-economic transformation and provide equitable and quality education for all. As Government, we will endeavor to promote policies that will address the core barriers and ensure that all the vulnerable learners can easily access education.

The bursary component that is targeted at beneficiaries who are pursuing tertiary education will enable youths from each and every constituency of Zambia to gain skills that are required in national building. The acquired skills will prepare the youths in constituencies to construct classrooms, teachers houses, and clinics. The youths will also be able to manufacture school furniture and undertake plumbing and electrical works etc.

Therefore, using the enhanced allocations of the CDF from K1.6 million to K25.7 million per year for each Constituency, the bursaries for skills training will also empower youths to undertake development works in their areas either as contractors or employees.

It is our hope that bursary administrators will fully embrace the guidelines so that together we can achieve the objectives of the Secondary Boarding Schools and Skills Development Bursary Scheme. Failure to comply with established financial regulations in the management of the scheme will not be tolerated.

We are also optimistic that once the economic reform measures are fully implemented, significant benefits will accrue to the people of Zambia through increased financing of social protection mechanisms. This will further alleviate the suffering of poor and vulnerable households.

(File Copy Signed)

Issued By:

Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane, MP
MINISTER OF FINANCE AND NATIONAL PLANNING

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