Government says it is concerned about the high number of out of school children in the country.
Central Province Permanent Secretary (PS), Bernard Chomba says according to the 2016 Educational Statistical Bulletin (ESB), over 800, 000 children across the country are out of school.
Mr Chomba said the situation is worrisome to the government especially that Zambia is a signatory to the United Nations (UN) Convention on the right to education.
The Permanent Secretary was speaking during the ground breaking ceremony for a one by three classroom Block funded at the total cost of K463, 750 by the Irish Aid at Mukululu Community School in Kabwe today.
He paid gratitude to the Irish Government for supporting the education sector in the country through the Zambia Open Community Schools (ZOCS) Project.
Through Irish Aid, Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs) countrywide have over the years benefited from, bursary support, teaching and learning materials among other incentives.
Meanwhile, Irish Deputy Ambassador to Zambia, Fiona Quinn, said the people of Zambia and Kabwe in particular recognize what it means to have an education.
Ms Quinn who is also Head of Development and Staff said this realization must be valued for the country to foster social and economic development.
And Zambia Open Community Schools (ZOCS) Deputy Executive Director, Cleopatra Muma, has thanked the Irish Embassy for supporting community schools across the country especially Makululu Community School.
Speaking during the same occasion, Central Province Principal Education Standards Officer (PESO), Kelly Mwale, urged pupils, teachers and parents to ensure the sustenance of the existing infrastructure.
Mr Mwale who spoke on behalf of the Provincial Education Officer (PEO), Jennifer Banda, said it has been a challenge in Zambia to sustain the existing infrastructure.
Meantime they are busy closing and failing to fund Universities while buying private VVIP private jets unnecessarily.
It is quite irritating how this government says one thing and does the complete opposite. Even on the so-called austerity measures – they claimed they were curbing expenditure and borrowing last year. But they ended up firing Mutati because he wanted to actually implement the austerity he had announced. Now they have gone back to exactly what Mutati had proposed. And of course should Maggie try to implement, she will be fired
That was 2016… many children who were still in school in 2016, were supported by hard working street vendors. When you took the vendors off the streets, with no back-up plan, you inadvertently increased the number of drop-outs, possibly by the double. When we see sad issues developing in our beloved land, understand that much of it is of our own doing.
Only hh can save this nation from pf incompetence which led to such investors. Even my Swiss wife feels the same. My Swiss wife is in process of getting dual Zambian citizenship so that she can vote for hh in next election. We are tired u people x
Swiss wife hahaha crazy guy, all you think is about your switch bi..tch hope she has a gold plate
Reduce school fees to make it affordable for every child to go to school