UNZA DON DEFENDS TASILA LUNGU
By Ruth Choolwe
9th July, 2022 – Lusaka
SOCIAL Policy Lecturer at the University of Zambia (UNZA) Mr Ntazana Musukuma Mutungwa has defended Honourable Tasila Lungu who has come under attack for stating that the on-going free education policy has resulted into poor-quality education.
“I agree with Honourable Tasila Lungu. We can’t have 200 pupils in a classroom, with many seated on the floor. The free-education policy is indeed a mockery to those intended to benefit from it and an embarrassment to the country. Overcrowding pupils in class in the name of free education not only overloads the teacher with work and deprives pupils of the much needed attention from the teacher but also poses a health hazard to all teachers and pupils such as airborne diseases including the pandemic and TB. Those in national leadership can do better,” said Mutungwa.
He observed that there was need to build more schools, recruit more teachers and procure more learning materials if such a policy is to bear fruit.
“You can’t have a successful social policy program without the required inputs. Let Government build more schools, recruit more teachers and procure more learning materials. With the current shortage of teachers, space and materials required for effective teaching and learning in public schools, implementation of this otherwise well-intended social policy program becomes problematic and most likely barren,” he said.
He further has a message for those saying poor quality free education is better than no education at all.
“The problem with settling for less is that it becomes a norm with time. Let all of us as a people of this country never settle for less but endeavor to pursue the best outcomes, impacts and outputs. That’s how societies develop,” said Mutungwa.
He castigated those attacking Honourable Tasila Lungu and maliciously bringing in her father Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, the former President of Zambia.
“Honourable Tasila Lungu is a different person from Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu. You can’t associate the two where views on national matters are concerned just because the relationship between them is that of father and daughter. They are different people. Tasila has a right to express herself freely and independently on national matters. Morevever, as an opposition MP, she has an important duty of providing checks and balances to the Government. This is the point that many are missing,” said Mutungwa.
He also reminded Tasila’s critics that the daughter to the former President was not in Government during her father’s reign but merely an elected Councilor.
“Tasila served as a Councilor for Nkholoma Ward I in Chawama Constituency but not in Central Government proper and she delivered in her Ward where she constructed a football field, police post, empowered many local youth and women groups as well as individuals and so on. No wonder the people of Chawama later elected her as their area MP and already she has upgraded Chawama School to accommodate higher-grade learners among other achievements. She makes it on her as opposed to riding on her father’s high status in society. Therefore, avoid attributing her father’s perceived shortfalls to Tasila, who wasn’t even part of central government,” advised Mutungwa.
He further bemoaned the lack of seriousness to socio-economic policies in the country.
“World Bank has just relegated Zambia to the poor-country bracket and this is happening after governing ourselves for almost 58 years since 1964 when the country attained Independence. On the other hand, we have pupils crowding in a single classrom with literally nowhere to seat. This tells you the country’s socio-economic policies are failing,” he said.
“Those in power must pull their socks. The country should be seen developing, not retrogressing. There is need for hard-work not only to fulfill the numerous campaign promises that were made to the Zambian people in 2021 but also enhance the deteriorating living standards of the majority of our people,” said Mutungwa.
The UNZA Lecturer further bemoaned the high cost of living in the country correlating it with exacerbated poverty among the people.
“The high cost of living in the country where basic food basket is approaching K10, 000 for a family of five per month with many on megre salaries and wages leads millions into absolute poverty. The primary responsibility of Government anywhere in the world is to look after its citizens. A moment you see cost of living skyrocketing and the majority weak members of society being dragged into abject poverty, decode that those in power have failed,” said Mutungwa.