Green Party Reaction No.2 On The UPND 1st Budget: Education

First, we greatly commend the UPND Government for the measures taken in the education sector, which include construction of new schools in Western, North Western, Southern and Copperbelt Provinces; recruitment of 30,000 teachers; scraping off user fees in primary and secondary schools; decentralisation of the bursary and loan schemes approval to ward level; etc.

Obviously, these measures will go along way to alleviate stresses children go through to learn in mud schools, under trees, and sitting on the floor. Generally, the measures will also alleviate the agony that the parents, and guardians, go through each time schools open.

But looking at the big picture, will these measures really sort out the main problem in already existing schools, colleges and universities in the country generally, in terms of provision of quality education?

Of course increasing the number, and quality of teachers and lecturers, has some considerable impact on provision of quality education. But has that been the main problem in Zambia? And will the the budget allocation make any difference?

PF allocation to the education sector in the last five years, as a percentage of the total budget, has been as follow:

2017: allocated 20.20%
2018: allocated 16.10%
2019: allocated 15.30%
2020: allocated 12.40%
2021: allocated 11.50%

And UPND Government in its first budget ever, has allocated a paltry 10.40% of the total budget, which is the lowest not only in the last five years, but the least in the last 30 years!

Mind you, teachers’ salaries, construction of schools and other capital projects, are not part and parcel of the education budget allocation. But the user fees, are complimentary to the education budget allocation.

So, in your right frame, do you think that by scraping off user fees, and allocation of the least budget in the last 30 years, the existing schools, colleges, and universities, will enroll more learners, and procure more teaching and lecturing aids, sufficient to yield quality education in these institutions?

Based on the analysis of the budget measures for the education sector, we in the Green Party believe that the UPND Government lacks an understanding of the fundamental problems that have rocked our institutions of learning, especially colleges and universities.

Going forward, we predict an escalation of problems in tertiary, especially from lecturers and students, for want of learning aids, and other essential resources. Mark my word.