Friday, March 29, 2024

First Lady welcomes free education announcement

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First Lady Mutinta Hichilema has welcomed the government’s decision to introduce free secondary school education in the 2022 National Budget.

Speaking at State House today when the spouses of the country’s Service Chiefs paid a courtesy call on her, Mrs. Hichilema said the move will lessen the burden on the citizens.

She said this will allow for financial resources intended for school fees, to be channeled towards other needs.

She expressed confidence the new dawn administration will remain committed to empowering entrepreneurs, as evidenced by the formation of the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises Development.

“There is a new Ministry which has been created, to help with small and medium enterprises. It will create businesses and job opportunities for different communities,” Mrs. Hichilema said.

And Mrs. Hichilema has commended the wives to the Service Chiefs, for the role they play in the lives of their husbands.

She said the role of complimenting their spouses in their quest to maintain peace and security is cardinal.

Mrs. Hichilema also pledged to support the Service Chief’s women organizations whenever her office would be in a position to.

“Please take note that we shall be there to support your noble cause,” she said.

Speaking earlier, delegation leader for the Army Ladies Association of Zambia, Stella Alibuzwi used the occasion to congratulate Mrs Hichilema for becoming First Lady, and being an inspiration to women in the country.

Mrs Alibuzwi also enlisted various works that the association has embarked on, including supporting vulnerable children and women in society.

15 COMMENTS

  1. The culture in Zambia now seems to be changing. I think it’s becos when u ve a president that really works, everybody else starts working too. Unless you don’t have eyes & ears but if u do, u ll see that ministers wives have started working too, service chiefs wives have now joined the pack. Where ever u are in and if u are not working then God help u(esp if u are a male), jst look at the change of work culture of Zambian females ? Admirable – highly. Look at how hardworking & intelligent Vice President is? Unbelievable that this is happening in Africa.

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  2. I can bet now with whoever in the world that Zambia, 5yrs from today will African leader in: Clean & Efficient governance. Independence/Decentralization of government responsibility. How to build an Economy from debt & default to citizen based wealth. Free Education. Real Women empowerment through Mutinta’s programmed (and not those Magazine/TV rhetorics in other countries).

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  3. Great news indeed on free secondary school education. No more goats and chickens! Maybe public schools will return to producing the best students at this and other levels. Even if it is only in five years’ time change will be seen.

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  4. What is the status for boarding schools? I thought students will have to pay boarding fees. No amount has been stated. Those who are poor might get a bursary?

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  5. FREE EDUCATION IT WILL JUST ERODE THE COFFERS
    SCHOOL BUILDING ETC ETC >>>>>>> WE HAVE TO GET AWAY FROM THIS CULTURE OF GIVE ME GIVE ME GIVE ME

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  6. Just asking out interests sake guys “is there another country in Africa offering free Education like us”?.

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  7. Just wait and see how standards in secondary schools will fall. They will fail to even buy reams of paper or tonner for printers. We all know that govt cannot adequately fund schools( especially where half of the budget is to be borrowed)
    No projects will be undertaken in schools and I see a demoralized teaching staff.
    This is just a populist stunt on the part of govt even when they know that they have no money and capacity to implement the program.

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  8. @Issacher – Unfortunately, you can not bleed the poor to the bone just to keep up standards! Let the standards fall if they have to; it won’t be the struggling families’ fault, it’s the fault of consecutive governments’ poor funding of education over the years. Futureless projects like building mansions for people who already had a better life have been prioritised over a child sharing a desk to three, or sitting on a brick in class! Where is the vision? Health and education are the cornerstones of any progressive society; they should be prioritised.

    #plant a tree now!

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  9. OFFICE? The first lady has no office. She is the spouse of the President. Zambians elected her husband not her. She was not on the ballot paper. She may have supported him, yes, so did many other people, including his mother. Should they also have ‘office?’ I like her but please do not make her make mistakes that all the other women have made as wives of the President, except Betty Kaunda.

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  10. There cannot be any free education in Zambia if our coffers are empty it doesn’t make any sense, where is the money to buy chalks to clean class rooms it is a pipe dream where will money to buy desks come from, from empty coffers it doesn’t make any sense.

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  11. @7-TIKKI: Which coffers will be eroded? Let’s not use EMOTIONS but Quantifiable numbers. Public schools from Grade 1 to 12, doesn’t have that many students, the cost is not that significant. The issue has been abuse of national Resources and Greed. Our past Leadership was a disgrace so know that it is possible and Free Education will not erode anything. Zambia is Rich and can afford.

  12. @8- KAIZER: Your Bitterness will Kill you. Why are you so selfish that you and your sleepy Lungu wanted to steal from the poor for Ever? Are you people truly Zambians? Where is your Patriotism? Keep Quite you stole enough and did a lot of Bad. YES WE WILL FUND FREE EDUCATION FROM THE MUKULA Money and other properties you acquired illegally. Tell us what Business You did before getting in to Office???. Nothing you are all failure and only know how to steal. YOU CAN’T EVEN PUT A STRATEGIC PLAN IN PLACE.

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