FREE EDUCATION, A MOCKERY- HON. TASILA LUNGU-MWANSA
…200 pupils in one class, others sit on the floor.
Lusaka- Friday, 8 July, 2022
Opposition Patriotic Front (PF) lawmakers have sustained checks and balances on the governance of the country by the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) and have noted cross-cutting governance shortcomings.
Speaking Friday during a weekly ‘meet the media’ briefing at Parliament, Chawama lawmaker, Tasila Lungu questioned the credibility of the much touted free education.
Although the motive had been good as a way of encouraging more children to attain free education it is now devoid of basic tenets of hygiene because of various shortcomings.
Congested classrooms, in some instances about 200 children crowded in one classroom, some squatting on the floor, with unhygienic environment has characterized the learners, raising questions on the quality of education being imparted.
Some schools lack various basic hygienic requirements, fueling concerns of the safety of the learners against hazards including the pandemic which is being fought against.
Lawmaker Tasila Lungu – Mwansa noted that it would be important for the Government to revisit the free education that is reigning at the moment and ensure all learners at various institutions but called for an urgent review of the situation.
The situation, she contended has left many children likely to fail to comprehend because of the high ratio of pupil against the teacher while ensuring that adequate furniture and sanitary requirements were redressed.
“We have noted that the free education that is in place is not quality at all because in most schools there are about 200 pupils crowded in one classroom, with some sitting or squatting on the floor and may lack hygienic conditions and we cannot call that quality education,” she said.
“I call upon the Government to ensure that while education is free education, there be quality as well for all the learners,”
Godwin Mwila, the Mufulira central lawmaker lamented the high cost of living induced on Zambians caused by the high cost of commodity prices.
He contends that while inflation is claimed to be in single digit, it was not tallying with the people’s aspirations, contrasting the arguments being advanced by leaders in Government that claim the cost of living was affordable now than before.
The lawmaker challenged the Government to correlate the people’s living conditions in Zambia now hyped by the Russia-Ukraine conflict which has affected global economies yet leaders were claiming Zambia was an exception.
He challenged the media to investigate the claims by the Government against what is obtaining on the ground based on people’s livelihoods.
“It’s strange that while the cost of living among various households is too much to cope, its amazing that our Government sees Zambia as an exception and yet the US and other developed countries they are complaining at the high cost of commodities and other food substances,”
Chinsali lawmaker, Kalalwe Mukosa questioned the logic behind the Government’s decision to appoint six privately owned audit firms to do an audit of the country’s domestic public debt stating that the office of the Auditor General has a directorate whose main responsibility is to undertake audits relating to public debt both domestic and foreign.
“The Auditor General’s office has a directorate known as Debt and Investment’ whose main responsibility is to undertake such tasks but we are wondering why the ministry of finance opted for private auditing firms to do such a job,” Mukosa, a chartered accountant wondered.
“As Zambians we would like to know the rationale used to arrive at such a decision and how much this exercise will cost government,”
The Lawmaker, who is also a member of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) at Parliament further wondered whether the reports will to be submitted to parliament for scrutiny by the PAC, budget committee and other interested groups to verify the findings for onward debate on the floor of the house.
Feira lawmaker, Emmanuel Tembo lamented the escalating costs of ferrying people suspected to have committed various crimes to different areas away from their jurisdiction.
He argues that such laws was detrimental to democracy and a cost of the country’s treasury, arguing an estimated K2.5 million has been goggled through such avoidable decisions, which he said should be discouraged to defray costs.
Bahati lawmaker, Leevan Chibombwe questions the renewal of the Bulk Power Supply Agreement between Zesco and Copperbelt Energy Corporation yet it was fraught with several concerns during an earlier agreement.
He demanded a full disclosure of the agreement by Energy Regulation Board (ERB) to allow the people understanding the mismatch involved in the selling and procurement of power for onward transmission to the mines.
(Credit: Geoffrey Kapembwa)