The National Action for Quality Education in Zambia (NAQEZ) has urged the newly formed computer Studies Teachers Association of Zambia (COSTAZ) to strongly advocate for an ICT policy in education.
And Executive Director Aaron Chansa has expressed excitement with the birth of the Association in Zambia.
Mr Chansa told ZANIS that the birth of COSTAZ has come at the right time when the country is advancing to become a knowledge-based society.
He said the association is critical to the improvement of ICTS in Zambia which he said many countries are using as a tool for education and expansion of national economies.
“Apart from providing a special platform for up-skilling teachers of Computer Science in schools, colleges and universities, the new association should strongly advocate for an ICT policy in education,” he said.
Mr Chansa said the country needs an ICT policy to sit as a guide for computer studies in schools and further advised government to craft the policy as quickly as possible.
He has since pledged to render for support by partnering with COSTAZ to advance for a one computer, one child policy in Zambia.
Mr Chansa described as sad the current situation where the average computer and pupil ratio is at one against 200 pupils.
He has since appealed for more computers to be sent to schools in rural areas so as to change the computer narrative from mysterious to practical.
“Very few learners in rural Zambia have touched a computer before. How will this country realize the 2030 vision when some children are clearly being left behind,” he added.
Meanwhile Mr Chansa further appealed to the Ministry of Education to prioritize computer studies by making it a standalone department in schools.
He said the subject is too important to sit under the Mathematics department.
Mr Chansa said he is optimistic that once school systems begin to embrace computer studies at early grades, Zambia will become a centre of innovations.
He has since encouraged computer studies teachers in Zambia to unite around COSTAZ and make sure that they collectively help to improve the poor situation of computer studies in the country.
