EDUCATION, PRIORITY UNDER SP…..higher education will be free – M’MEMBE

EDUCATION, PRIORITY UNDER SP – M’MEMBE
…..higher education will be free

Lusaka, Friday (March 29, 2024)

Socialist Party (SP) President Fred M’membe says the education sector in Zambia will be getting 25% national budgetary allocation once in power.

Dr. M’membe said the current education system in Zambia was inherited from the colonial period.

He said the nature of the current education is not liberating as it does not truly serve the complex present day needs of the people and growing population.

“How do we explain the gaps between those who are graduating from university and the deepening poverty in our society? Is this higher education designed to serve the needs of our people and are we producing graduates that are equipped with skills to navigate the growing complex world? These are questions we need to address as a society,” he said.

The Opposition Leader said higher education is a key component for national development process that requires urgent attention.

“The students that get into universities and colleges are the best cream we have in terms of contributing to a well equipped and developed country. In this regard, we need a system change that favours and not blame our students. A system that centres on quality education that prepares graduates to change our country, Africa and the world,” he said.

Dr. M’membe said the SP Government will ensure that university or higher education is free adding that it will also build on and support processes as well as initiatives that are transforming the education sector to be in line with the needs of the people.

“We need to invest heavily in this sector to ensure that we develop a student that can qualitatively contribute to job creation, innovation and research.For this reason the SP will allocate 25 percent of the national budget to the education sector,” he said.