TONSE/PF PAMODZI ALLIANCE PLEDGES FREE EDUCATION FROM PRIMARY TO TERTIARY LEVEL
The Tonse/PF Pamodzi Alliance has pledged to extend Zambia’s free education policy from primary school to tertiary level if entrusted with leadership, saying the initiative would ensure equal access to learning and unlock the country’s development potential.
Speaking on behalf of the Alliance during an interview on Capital FM 99.7 with Esther and Farai, PF Pamodzi Alliance Secretary General Celestine Mambula Mukandila said education remained the greatest equaliser in society and should be accessible to every Zambian regardless of their social or economic background.
Mr. Mukandila said the Alliance believed Zambia had adequate resources to fund free education from primary school to university and other tertiary institutions if revenues from natural resources were properly managed and channelled towards key social sectors.
He noted that Zambia was the world’s largest exporter of emeralds but many citizens were unable to identify tangible benefits from the country’s mineral wealth.
According to Mr. Mukandila, improved management of natural resource revenues could provide sustainable financing for education and other social programmes.
“This is not an impossible dream,” he said, adding that countries such as Libya had demonstrated that free education up to tertiary level could be achieved.
Mr. Mukandila further stated that the Alliance’s vision extended beyond tuition-free education and included providing adequate student support through allowances that would allow learners to concentrate on their studies without financial distress.
He also called for improvements to the bursary system, arguing that students should not complete their education burdened by financial obligations that could restrict their future opportunities.
Education, he said, should empower young people and serve as an investment in national development.
Reflecting on the role education had played in his own life, Mr. Mukandila said many citizens could testify to the opportunities created through schooling and stressed that every child deserved the same chance to succeed.
“An educated society is a productive and innovative society,” he said.
He added that investing in education would equip young people with the skills needed to create jobs, drive innovation and contribute to Zambia’s long-term economic growth.