The implementation of the free education policy has greatly contributed to the elimination of extreme poverty in China, authorities have said.
China Anti – Poverty Research Institute Professor Wang Sangui said providing free education to vulnerable members of society is one of the poverty alleviation strategies his government put in place to eliminate extreme poverty in the country.
Professor Sangui stated that Government provided free primary and secondary school education to learners from poor households.
ZANIS reports that Professor Sangui said this when he gave a lecture to international Journalists who are attending a Journalism fellowship programme at the China International Press Communication Centre (CIPCC) in Beijing.
“Additionally, students from identified vulnerable homes were given living allowances. This reduced school expenditure for poor households and ended the intergenerational transmission of poverty,” he said.
China achieved the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal number one of eliminating extreme poverty in 2020, ten years ahead of schedule.
The Renmin University of China Lecturer said Government lifted over 770 million people out of poverty between 1978 and 2010.
“Government additionally lifted 100 million of the poor population out of poverty between 2013 and 2020. It established manufacturing industries so as to provide employment for the citizenry. It also promoted cooperative agricultural production and health care subsidies to the poor,” Professor Sangui said.
Meanwhile, Zambian Education Activist Pascal Mulenga noted that Zambia can draw lessons from China with a view to eliminating extreme poverty.
Speaking in a separate interview, Mr. Mulenga, who is also the Zambia Union of All Persons with Disabilities (ZUAPD) President, observed that the Zambian Government is on the right trajectory with regards providing education opportunities to the vulnerable members of society.
He said education is one of the tools that can bring about social economic transformation in the country.
Mr. Mulenga, however, called on Government to consider making education more disability inclusive by ensuring the cost of disability material such as braille material, hearing aids and wheelchairs are more affordable.
“Vulnerable populations including the differently abled can contribute to development too especially if they are educated.
” If our country is to reach the level of China’s development, there is need to ensure all the schools are funded adequately and have necessary infrastructure such as electricity, disability equipment and computer laboratories,” he said.
Mr. Mulenga stated that rural schools should be made more conducive so as to promote the retention of teachers thereby promoting education in the rural population.
This is not China and we not Chinese
You can have free education and still have no jobs. Create the jobs
Free education yeve sitikana. Manje can we look into the QUALITY of this free education mwe bantu!? The levels of funding have not reflected the replacement of what was being paid before, albeit meagre and still not qualitative as well. We need to UP our standards, so that we can compare na ku China. You do not just compare. Get intricate and look into what you are comparing.
Very true. You Third Worlders should not look at the statement narrowly. Free Education was part of a huge plan that helped reduce poverty levels in China namely:Socialism. They kept high standards of education managed to manufacture local products.
If you introduce free education and it degenerates into poor education you will have poor industries, poor labour force and citizens that want to flee. E.g. Malawi’s citizens leave the country at an early age to work as labourers in nearby countries. Zambia’s poorly educated graduates are mostly unemployed. In short have a plan, dont just focus on Micro-economics. Like Kenneth Kaunda used to have a National Development
*Like Kenneth Kaunda used to have a National Development Plan.
What a dumba$$ comment by @Tikki, no wonder the majority of Africans and Zambians are so backward.
Then @Kalok comment is totally spurious argument about quality education.
The problem with many of you is, that in you pursuit to criticise the government, you are portraying yourselves to be total *****s.
Sir/Madam @Foreigner, I have spent the most of 25 plus years on almost all the continents (not sure where you are a foreigner at) and I have a sampling of various educational systems. I am an educationist myself. Do engage me as this platform may not do justice to what I am claiming. QUALITY is real, my friend. It is not a spurious claim. Oh — I am still outside the country and contributing to policies where I am that are materialising into graduates that are functional straight out of the door. We can talk sir/madam.
Our country is driving a very dangerous narrative that what ever Hakainde implements should never be questioned including his lies. MPs and public in general must ba allowed to question and interrogate decisions made by our employees (Politicians). Only dictators don’t allow to be questioned. This is why Hakainde says “ Naikosa” he thought that once in power, he would be able to push anything through the peoples’ throats without questioning him. At only Two and half years in power, he has lost his popularity too soon. Most of it is his own making. The Bembas say “ Chintomfwa sile na mafi kubuko” The embarrassment that comes by not taking advice is immense.
Badala, Kopala is only just waking up to Bally getting money into the Mines with a new Investor and a recycled one. Things are looking ok ish. CB will be the King maker in 2026. Just sale your candidate’ manifesto, leave Bally to do what he does.