UPND ADMINISTRATION SCORES 35% ON QUALITY EDUCATION AND 90% ON ACCESS TO EDUCATION
Sunday,17th May, 2026.
After careful analysis, the National Action for Quality Education in Zambia (NAQEZ) believes that, over the last five years, the UPND Administration has scored 35% on quality education and 90% on promoting access to education in Zambia.
Regarding access to education, the administration has done very well by abolishing school fees and examination fees at both the primary and secondary school levels. The Keeping Girls in Schools and the school feeding programs have also greatly contributed to the promotion of access to education by thousands of children from vulnerable families. Also, the CDF bursaries supporting learners in boarding schools have been very helpful.
NAQEZ commends the UPND Administration for reforming the education curriculum, the national education policy, making free education into law, reinstating the meal allowance for students and for providing grants to all schools across the country.
The UPND Administration, however, has done very badly on the quality of education score. Because of too much overcrowding in most government schools, inadequate desks, inadequate textbooks and inconsistent literacy programs, Zambia today has more than 90% learning poverty. Most learners from grade 1 up to grade 5 are not ab for poolle to read and write. This is dangerous for a country like Zambia.
Regrettably, most graduates at different levels of education have almost nothing to show for passing through our education system. Even those leaving colleges and universities are struggling to perform in the industry.
The UPND Administration has also done badly on teacher motivation. Despite numerous promises, thousands of teachers remain without being upgraded to higher salary scales and without being substantively confirmed after acting for years. With this ugly reality, most teachers in Zambia are frustrated.
While doing away with the old curriculum was a progressive move, the implementation of the new curriculu m has been chaotic. Firstly, the orientation of teachers was inadequate and up to now, new textbooks have not yet been introduced in schools. Equally, most schools are not yet equipped with the necessary tools to practically introduce competence teaching and learning. If not careful, the country will never get the educational dividends from the new curriculum.
Beyond 2026, the UPND or any opposition Party that will win the August election will have to work on the quality of education in schools and teacher motivation. The country is doing well on access to education but very badly on quality education. And if the kind of education being offered in public schools oes not improve, the nation will have to forget about the aspirations of Vision 2030.
Issued by :
Dr Aaron Chansa
Executive Director