Wife of Senior Chief Shakumbila, Exhilda, who last year sat for Grade Nine examinations has qualified for Grade 10 at the age of 41.
Both Chief Shakumbila and Exhildah confirmed the development to ZANIS in Mumbwa.
The chief said his wife scored 430 marks out of the cut-off point of 330 and she was the second highest at the school.
Senior Chief Shakumbila explained that his wife was selected to go to Mumbwa Secondary School for Grade 10 but she has not been offered a place due to age.
And Mumbwa Secondary School Manager, Evans Ngosa, also confirmed the results, saying it was difficult to accommodate an adult woman in a class of teenagers.
And Exhildah said she is ready to continue with education if offered a place at any school.
Mrs Shakumbila has appealed to government to consider up-grading Myooye Primary School into a secondary so that she finishes their secondary education and more women are accorded an opportunity
And Central Province Permanent Secretary, Edwidge Mutale, who encouraged Mrs Shakumbila to continue with her education last year, has congratulated her for making it to Grade 10.
When asked to comment on the refusal of the School Management to enrol Mrs Shakumbila, Mrs Mutale said government is considering education as a priority.
The PS added that it was unfortunately that the school management has not offered her a place when there is already a re-entry to school for women.
She, however, said she would consult her counterpart at the Ministry of Education for a way forward.
Mrs Shakumbila last year was enrolled in Grade 9 at Chisalu School where she wrote her Grade 9 examinations.
She came out second at the school after scoring 430 points.
ZANIS
I this lady is very intelligent. Am sure the Chief ruined her life by marrying her so early in life.
Such are brains wasted in early marriages! She would be doing her PHD research by now.
You are right shimapalo, even Dr Kaseba ruined Michael Sata by agreeing to marry him so early. I thibk there is still hope for Grade 3 Sata to sit for Grad 7 exam and show the world how smart he is, and yes , then grade 9 and then grade 12 and UNZA at last
What happened to night school? As an external candidate, she could complete her senior level in less than three year.
Wait a minute folks, which intelligence or brains? Have u forgotten that there is leakage in Zambia? If a mere pupil could afford having papers b4 the exam what the chief. I am sure the chief simply hired some teachers to write the papers on behalf of the wife. My work mates wife was in grade 9 as well last year but was so dull that she had difficulties in reading and couldn’t write a complete sentence. The exams came out she passed, Where on earth?
If my suspicions are wrong may the chief and the royal family kindly forgive me. Instead receive my heartfelt congratulation message. BRAVO MAMA, KEEP IT UP AND NOT LET THE SKY BE THE LIMIT! And thanks chief Shakumbila for being a good example to your chiefdom for adult education by supporting her royal highness education.
I have never read any law that say someone can not learn with teangers? 41 is not a bad age. 41+3 +3 = 47 years and she can be a good a minister at age 50 years and a PhD at 60 and Dean at 70 years.
Let her be a day Scholar?
Focus of the positives. We don’t know when she was married. What we know is that she is determined to change her life for the better. I wish many Zambians could emulate her. Let the ministry of Education insists that she gets a place. She should not be discriminated against on the basis of age. She deserves a chance. Well done, first lady!
3yrs
atase..give her a place..who says she can’t learn with young ones..?
@malabo,grade 3 sata kikikikikiki,first he has to pass to upper class grade 5,then G 7.i seriously doubt if Micheal sata can pass to grade 5.but rumor has it that he holds in degree in Bullying and deceitfulness from mushindo university.
I greatly feel encouraged I am 56 I also want to enroll for project management but I feel I am too old but with this may be I can now enroll
tHERE IS NO SUCH THING AS TOO OLD, GO FOR IT AND YOU WILL NOT REGRET…
THE LAW IS CLEAR, ITS OK UNLESS THE CHIEF TRIED TO DO “BUSINESS” WITH AN AN UNDER AGE!
Why do people run away from the discussion at hand? its Chief Shakumbila’s wife grade 10 passing we are talking about here. why bring in Sata? The man has lived his dream from humble beginnings to the head of state and he is married a medical doctor. I thought this should be an inspiration to most of us rather than scolding him. lf our population was educated surely we shall have a health population and enhanced democracy.
Does anyone remember the world’s oldest pupil from Kenya, the old man who went to primary school with kids? There is nothing wrong with an older person studying with teenagers. It has never happened, but that does not mean it is undoable, or would have negative effects. If there is a law forbidding it, then its understandable. If there is no law forbidding it, grant the woman her rights!
True that @The Equalizer, I completely agree with you! This woman should be an inspiration to all people, men and women, who think they are too old to get an education. Mumbwa Secondary school can surely accommodate her and let her fulfill her dreams.
This story reminds me of an old lady at my former University here in the USA who got her bachelors degree in her at age 80+. She graduated from high school right before WW2, got married, had two children before her husband was shipped off to fight in Europe. He got killed in the war, and the responsibility of raising two children fell squarely on her shoulders alone. Decades later after working her entire life and retired, she thought about finally getting her college degree; and she did—graduated with a degree in history!
Good news. Information (Knowledge) is power. As for continuing her secondary education she should consider Distance Learning. I hope proactive mobile communication companies in Zambia are already assessing business potential of the Chief’s Area and talking with the Chief. It doesn’t get any better than this. Something big could come out of this potential, and what’s more, this is the sort of story with humble beginnings that Hollywood would love to get hold of and pay big money to make inspiring life-changing movies. Now, how do I buy shares in this God sent potential, let’s see….
Congratulations, well done!
Thats where we are different with whites. Us we are refusing to offer her a place ,them they would have been fighting to get her.If you as me i can say this woman can be a better motivator than the so called Mubita Nawa & Lozious siatwaambo..
The lady is great,mr manager of the school,there is nothing wrong for an adult to be in a class of teenagers,please offer her the place and do not try to bring in age as an put as issue.
the best news so far this year – we tired of GBM/KABIMBA/HH crap – the lady should aspire to become a doctor like me.
Well done, we need more women like you. Good example, age is no barrier to education. Please Ministry of Education provide schools for the matured girl child.
Congratulations madam. This is inspiring indeed. Ukutangila tekufika!
She should have known that there is no room for macembele. At such her age she should be teaching those who would be classmates and the teacher to be. JSC .)
She should b encouraged to continue by all means and through other means. I’m sure national correspondence college in Luanshya can b of aid. Age is just a number. She can study at home and write G12 later even next year
Its encouraging to see and hear that our women are improving the education achievements. GRZ must assist such individuals.
Elyashi ilitulefyawaya bane, noti ati uyu alesapa ulya, elo naulya aletuka abanankwe, elo naulya bamulekamo ichisapo, so ulya bakikamo ichisapo afulwa aambanko no kulila, awe yazanda kanshi mwe. Hey, how about this for bemba? LOL. One day we should all try and blog in Bemba or Nyanja for you all Nyanjians. The lady is an inspiration. There are a lot of older people who are now saying they want to study in Zambia and what people need to realize is that we need to move from the idea of studying for a job. Studying should be done because of ambition and interest. Government should use her to inspire others and give her a honorary degree for her inspiration from one of universities or colleges in Zambia, she should write a book about it and get translated in Zambian major languages. Thanks,
Iwe mubemba wamene ufuna kuba blog name yanga uzaambolipila ka! Nizakucharginga chabe K100 per blog. Ulikuti kansi ndaba sininaonepo mbendela ya ma colours yako?
Any bemba books out there so we can start to polish up on our bemba skills? We should have companies printing books in languages and doing CDs. Some smart people should start making money on some of these projects.
This is awesome ! Awe chanakashi sana !
Ma reporters yamu Zambia shuwa!!! Whats this: 430 marks out of the cut-off point of 330 and she was the second highest at the school.
Well done to the chiefs wife! Why curtail someones aspirations? Seems to me despite age she was allowed to sit for grade 9 exams with hope that she fails but now that she passed those that are supposed to encourage her further are throwing in spanners! Let her have a place in grade 10, she has earned it, moreover she would be useful as a prefect to help in guidance of female pupils! Education has no limitations!
True rumor has it that there is massive likaege in most of Mumbwa schools, especially at Myooyeprimary school, where the head master constantly lobbies for chickens and goats from pupils before exams. Several pupils have passed from myooye for g7 and g10 but I hear most of them cannot even spell or write their names! For this year selection, Mumbwa and Sanje schools have refused to accept pupils from myooye due to this true rumor of rampant like ages. I will not mention the name of the headmaster. The chief’s wife is one of the ‘beneficialies’…hence the predicament she is in despite the good intentions.
What an ignorant school manager!
Arest tht Head tcr.Exhilda shud not be denied place except may be boarding place but a place is a must.Whn she ws writing exams wht did tht imbecile head tcr yhink failing her?But she has passed!Give her a place or or get boot out tht head tcr.