A Kitwe based economist says the agreement by the Zambian government to deploy about 500 teachers to Madagascar at the request of that country’s president will help Zambia increase its foreign exchange earnings base.
Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Kitwe yesterday, Matthews Muyembe said deploying teachers to Madagascar will help earn forex as those teachers will be investing back home.
Mr. Muyembe noted that the development will also help cushion the weakening Kwacha against major exchange currencies.
He said economies do not only trade in commodities but also invest in human capital through initiatives such as deploying teachers and others professionals to other countries as a way of earning revenue.
Mr. Muyembe said government spends a lot of money on training teachers unlike other disciplines hence it was imperative that the state undertake such commercial activities and bilateral agreements that will plough back what was spend on the education sector.
He noted that the move was also an opportunity for the teachers who will be deployed to gain experience and foreign exposure for them to come back with new lessons which could be implemented in Zambia when they return.
He further stated that the move will promote regional integration as well as creating employment for the teachers that have not been recruited by government.
Mr. Muyembe has since urged government to continue taking keen interest in such investments which he said enhance economic growth.
After a bilateral meeting with the new President of Madagascar Andre Rajoelina last week, President Edgar Lungu disclosed that the leadership in that country has been requesting for 500 teachers from Zambia since the time of late President Levy Mwanawasa.
Recently, Minister of General Education David Mabumba disclosed that government was ready to send 500 teachers of English to Madagascar following the request by Mr. Rajoerina.
Mr. Mabumba said the ministry is putting everything in place to make the deployment of the teachers possible.
This is very true. Plus it increases Zambia export potential by showing our African brothers Zambians are amazing.
Just wondering, how come our many diplomats have not been a source of forex? Someone moves their entire family abroad, that’s when you expect them to save or work extra hours or are you saying teachers in Zambia are hugely underpaid? We have more diplomats than the teachers going to Madagascar.
Dull economist.
Our diplomats are paid by our government and these teachers will be paid by the Malagase government. Anyway what do you expect from UPND danderheads and sycophants and enemies of progress to them anything that the government does is bad unless their Supreme leader HH says it’s fine that is when they will say it good…how terrible for these group think mentality you’re please emancipate your self from mental slavery of worshipping HH of the UPND.
@Fwanya. As much as diplomats are paid by the govt, they are all paid in forex. What’s your point.
Basic principles of economics are the same whether you’re a UPND or PF dunderhead.
@ Fwanya With my little economics understanding and without being sarcastic, I think our diplomats are paid from our resources, more like the right hand giving the left hand. We in fact lose money in this sense since these diplomats will then spend some of the money out there and whatever they repatriate back home already came from here anyway. As for the teachers they earn from a foreign entity and whatever little they send back is “new’ money and will add to our income as a nation. But that’s my understanding
@Fwanya my repy in 2.3 above should have referred to @Dokowe, apologies
@DOKOWE
You are the one who is dull and unreasonable. You don’t really understand how economics work. Besides more cofidebce in our education sector.
@Denkede. Kindly point why it’ll work with the teachers and why it has failed to work with the many diplomats. I will apologize after you do that.
@Denkede. It should be something unique to teachers.
@Dokowe. Most of us understand the book theories and principles,but when it comes to real practice very few do.What guarantee is there that when someone works in the diaspora,then they will automatically invest back.Some will,but not everyone will.
You mean this economist took off time to come and lecture us that having teachers working in Madagascar will result in some dollars coming to Zambia,is that not obvious.Some of these professions,you cant even call that preaching to the converted,that is common sense,we dont need an economist to know that,and economists are expected to have better things to preach about than such a mundane issue….
Why is the article stating the obvious? Can we have news here please
I wish them well and not to major in buying vehicles
When are they leaving?
Just a heads-up for English Teachers wanting to go and work in Madagascar:
Teaching/Education average salaries in Madagascar range between MGA 650,000(180 USD equiv.) and 850,000(USD 240 equiv.) depending on experience and qualification. The living wage estimate for single-adult without children is MGA 290,000(81 USD equiv.) Please note that these are local conditions based on a survey conducted in December 2018.
Good analysis. They are just going to earn peanuts and will repatriate nothing home. Am surprised there are people celebrating this
It’s ironic that no economist ever says let’s export more and import less to have more forex. Ise we import everything from offals to whatever.