Vice President Rupiah Banda has urged the Southern African Development Community (SADC) member countries to invest in the education sector and develop other innovative capacities with a view to enhancing the growth of the economic development in the region.
Mr. Banda says SADC member countries should strive to invest in the region’s education sector as it is not only a fundamental human right but one of the most decisive factors of contributing to all forms of economic development.
The Vice President said this when he officially opened the 2008 meeting of the SADC Ministers Responsible for Education and Training in Lusaka today.
Mr. Banda said there is need for SADC member countries to recognise and regard education as one of the most essential goals for attaining economic development in the SADC region.
He further said that if well development , education can have a positive impact on the social mobility, employment creation and poverty reduction.
He however bemoaned the going down of education standards in the region saying despite some great commitments made by the SADC member states to expand education and training provision, the region still faces major challenges that constrain the contribution of the education and training sector to national and regional socio-economic development.
The Vice President explained that although the region has made substantial progress in the provision of free and compulsory education with net enrollment ratios ranging between 70 to 98 percent, and gender parity index, survival to Grade five and completion rates at the end of the primary cycle is low in a number of member states.
Mr. Banda has since urged the SADC member states to take the development of education and training in the region as a cognizance of global trends.
Earlier, SADC Chairperson for Education and Training Professor Lungwangwa urged SADC Member States to reflect on the progress made in meeting the education for all and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
ZANIS/TK//MK/ENDS
GOOD VP LETS GO AHEAD WITH THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS LEVY WILL BE FINE GOD IS WITH HM AND ZAMBIA.
Great speech by RB. Now can the MMD translate this into action instead of sitting on its hands? Our educational infrastructure is one of the worst in SADC. Our teachers have been turned into worthless people with no supportive resources, in-service training, poor working compensation, housing and leadership at the ministry is hopelessly inadequate.
Great points #2. Our Zambian education system leaves mcuh to be desired. Actually, it might be the worst in SADC. Look at Zim., it has enough learning institutions including many more universities than Zambia. If I am not mistaken, all number 1 universities in SADC might be ranking far much ahead of UNZA on the African and World rankings.
So, let us get serious about ourselves as we charge others around us to do .
I visited some new schools opened up in Botswana! They are really way out ..really great. Why is our educational planning unit dead? Who is supposed to ensure that Zambia is better tomorrow than today if the planners are retired off so that the politicians can show great balanced books to the IMF/WB?
I hate saying this, but why get into government if not to make our nation a better one than what it was before they came into power? Why are they going into public office when public institutions are left to look like a vagrant’s refuge?