The European Union (EU) has offered to support the Zambian government to complete the construction of ten schools across the country, whose works have stalled.
Ministry of Education Permanent Secretary in Charge of Administration, Noriana Muneku says the EU has urged government to select the schools that would be supported.
She says government has been given a timeframe when to access and use the money.
Ms Muneku said government is considering including Menje Boarding Secondary School in Senga Hill District in Northern Province among the schools that will benefit from the funding.
She said government will also consider Menje Boarding School under a direct bid from the Ministry of Education allocation before putting it on the EU-funded programme.
Ms Muneku said this in response to Northern Province Permanent Secretary, Bernard Mpundu who raised concern over the stalled works on some schools in the province, including Menje Secondary.
This was when Ms Muneku paid a courtesy call on him at his office in Kasama.
Mrs Muneku said she is committed to ensuring the completion of the school, which would create a conducive environment.
Meanwhile, Ms Muneku indicated that the government will soon conduct an assessment to see the staffing levels in schools.
She explained that some schools, especially in towns like Lusaka, have excess staff, adding that there will be a need for the government to offload excess teachers to rural areas where services are needed.
Earlier, Mr. Mpundu indicated that there were a number of incomplete schools in Northern Province.
Mr Mpundu cited Menje Boarding Secondary School which was commissioned at 45 percent but has no sanitation, no kitchen, and incomplete dormitories.
He disclosed that the provincial administration is looking forward to the contractor being brought back on site to complete the school.
Mr Mpubdu said the provincial administration is committed to ensuring that the contractor is supervised so that the project can be completed.
 He revealed that the province has started recording impressive results in national examinations.
“In grade nine, we moved from number seven last year to number five. At grade 12 level, we have moved from number nine to number six. This achievement was not scored without putting in a lot, it is because the leadership at the PEO and the various DEBS offices have shifted attention from being political instruments to real professionals,” he said.
He indicated that the educational officers have pledged to do even better this year and compete well with Copperbelt and Lusaka Provinces.
Northern Province this, Northern Province that. Are there not other provinces in Zambia? This province produces nothing but has been favoured by all the governments since Chipuba’s except during the time of Mwanawassa who was honest and tried to be fair, and by that of HH, who is fair as well, and has no money, thanks to the US $33 billion borrowed and looted by Michael Satan and Edna Lungu
Continue downvoting me. It is not my fault things under hh are tough. I am also disappointed in hh but who else can lead this country?
Mwenda boarding school of Chipili district, Luapula province should be considered as well
So the government gave them CDF funds, they buy 4X4 pickups for themselves, and it is the fault of the government?
I thought that is what the CDF is there for. What happened was it misused or funds were never released?
@Razor. They bought the police force 4 x 4 pickups instead of using CDF for development projects such as this. What a useless govt. SMH
Zambia, I’m confused. Did you not just select over 7000 new teachers from tens of thousands of candidates? Then I read this article and especially the quote, “She explained that some schools, especially in towns like Lusaka, have excess staff, adding that there will be a need for the government to offload excess teachers to rural areas where services are needed.” Weren’t some of those selected for the rural areas where ‘services are needed’? Seems you’re recruiting with the one hand when you have an excess of teachers in the other.
Is the EU giving Zambia free support or it is a loan? Are we borrowing again. Be clear when giving these statement so that when UPND is no longer in government we will not be hearing that they borrowed more than PF. The hope the excess teachers in Lusaka do not fall in Brian Mwale’s category or the 400 Senior Officers.
These are gifts, and that is why they are so tiny. How many schools are in Lusaka alone?
We borrowed for infrastructure development. Evidence was there before we left office. Under hh if they are failing to complete simple school then what are they using money on