Thursday, March 28, 2024

ZANEC commends transfer of primary Schools to Councils

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Zambia National Education Coalition (ZANEC)  has commended Ministry of Education for its planned transfer of all primary schools in Zambia to the Local Authorities.

In an interview with Ama FM Radio, Mr. Kabika Kakunta said the move will contribute positively to the education sector in Zambia.

Mr. Kakunta who also echoed similar sentiments with the National Action for Quality Education (NAQEZ) Executive Director Aaron Chansa suggesting that almost all Local Authorities in Zambia are overwhelmed with huge administrative and financial constraints.

And he, however, said  Government’s planned devolution includes the transfer of the Ministry of Education  Schools to city councils. 

“I would like to recommend this process of devolution and primary schools be transferred to local councils because the local councils are the ones dealing with land issues, therefore it will be easy for schools to own land”  

“The only worrying thing is about  labour and  how ready is our local government to handle the exercise  since they already have their own challenges and also how adequate is the human resources Kakunta said.

Government recently announced that it may grant City Councils exclusive rights to manage Educational facilities across the country.

15 COMMENTS

    • What do u expect if u have people tuning the ministry who only attended council run Welfare prior to introduction of preschools? They think even in the 21st century people need to learn by sitting around the fire. Shame to the minister of education in zambia

  1. It is illogical to think that the council will run primary schools. If the council has failed to run toilets, how can they be entrusted with children? The idea will not only contribute to poor education for the children but it will be tantamount to policy inconsistence and lack of vision by those running the failed ministry of education. Only uneducated minister of education can approve such policies.

  2. Should have been the other way round, Councils should have been the ones transfered to Ministry of Education to go and learn how to build/run institutions of learning and understand how to construct Toilets, build Bus/Railway stations, car parking and Health care facilities for the public to start paying for such services. Unfortunately and with the “under fives” that we have running the entire Government awe mwandi, kaya…

  3. If your pipo are not educated then it is easier to control them.
    Majority of pipo in zambia did not vote for PF the majority of enrolled pipo is abetter way of describing. We have a population of 12 million and what 2million enrolled. So the minority is controlling the majority.
    So if schools are controllec by local councils where does the salary come from.
    Mr. Kakunta how does letting schools own land empower them. Does the PTA own the land, the headmaster own the land. The is and always will be owned by government. Tell us how i will contribute positively. You make a statement back it up with facts figures

  4. If this was a joke it would still be a bad joke.
    Councils have failed to run infrastructure such as bus stations, markets, parks, public libraries, toilets etc. They have politicised everything resulting in total failure to account for performance.

    Councils are not equipped to run a complex institution such as a school. Is this a way to completely destroy primary schools?

    It is a bad idea. It cannot work. It increases the span of accountability making the whole thing unworkable.

  5. In Zambia ‘council’ is always associated with filth, piling up garbage, rubbish everywhere, cholera, dirty streets, blocked sewage.

  6. PF is learning fast. Kill the education system and you can easily manipulate the semi-illiterate masses. We have school leavers who are not fit to be in standard one of our time. The Bible says it is not good for any soul to be without knowledge. Knowledge is power and our people perish for lack of knowledge. We have experimented too much with the education system under PF. What those in power should realize is the demise of the education system is a double edged sword. It may serve well for politicians for the short term but it is costly for any country to entertain high levels of illiteracy and substandard education system! Let education remain with education. Let the council deal with toilets and garbage!

  7. My cousins from the east have a saying that shows why this move is a bad idea! “Manyezha nyezha etaisha muto!”. Again it seems ministry of education has gone to the lazy dogs or the lazy dogs have taken over the ministry. Ministry of Education is the most important ministry we cannot afford to continue mutilating in this manner. Even the split between high and general education was ill-conceived! It was a way of rewarding cadres! Only in Zaombia can you graduate from cadre to minister without education papers! No wonder the under-five of today can only aspire to becoming cadres!

  8. CrCritical thinking is slowly but surely leaving our society. How much land is there to give to all primary schools? It is sad that we have this type of civil society leader claiming to mean well in such a bad situation. Council are evening failing to pay their workers and now the teachers to be added to that list. Surely MoE you can do better.

  9. STOP THAT BACKWARFBACKWARD THINKING BA MINISTER BS EDUCATION IF YOU REALLy LEARNED AND BRAVE MAN FYA WELESIKI NAFUTI

  10. Like I said before we are in Sh!t. Right now councils have nothing to their names.
    The “Illiterate PF councillors” will wreck the whole thing.
    Primary schools will be places of frustration for professionals, just as is with council employees.
    Decentralization is a good idea, but in my view the provincial administrations should be elected and be able to make independent decisions.

  11. Bad idea. It will not work. If PF has failed to run the schools give them to coops sell them to PTAs, Local Govt has a lot at hand. Why give them more? Whose idea is this? It will not work out.

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