Government has reiterated that it is committed to harmonising and rationalising salaries and conditions of service for staff in Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training (TEVET) institutions across the country.
Ministry of Technology and Science Permanent Secretary, Brilliant Habeenzu, says the harmonisation exercise will help to promote fairness, accountability, and sustainability in the management of public sector remuneration.
Dr Habeenzu said the exercise will help eliminate disparities that have historically existed between similar roles across institutions.
He has since commended the Emoluments Commission for providing leadership and technical guidance to ensure that all ministries, provinces, and spending agencies align their pay structures to the national framework as outlined in the Emoluments Commission Act No. 1 of 2022.
Dr Habeenzu said this in a speech read on his behalf by Northern Province Permanent Secretary, Bernard Mpundu during the harmonisation and rationalisation of salaries and conditions of service for TEVET institutions meeting held at Lukashya Trades Training institute in Kasama.
He disclosed that Zambia’s TEVET system currently comprises over 475 registered institutions, employing thousands of instructors and administrators, and training about 120,000 learners annually across all ten provinces.
He said the growing system demands an equitable remuneration structure that rewards skill, experience, and performance, while maintaining fiscal discipline.
Dr Habeenzu said the process is not merely a financial adjustment exercise but a step towards institutional strengthening that upholds gender equity, inclusivity, and fairness.
He further explained that fair and harmonised pay structures would boost employee motivation, reduce staff turnover, and enhance productivity across technical institutions.
Dr. Habeenzu also acknowledged the participation of union representatives, describing their involvement as key to ensuring inclusivity, consultation, and shared ownership of the process.
He has since urged institutions represented at the meeting to provide accurate staffing and remuneration data to enable the development of a realistic framework that aligns with available fiscal space.
The Ministry of Technology and Science Permanent Secretary also reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to working closely with the Emoluments Commission to ensure that the outcomes of the harmonisation process are equitable, sustainable, and aligned with national development goals.
He said the Ministry of Technology and Science will integrate the outcomes of the exercise into future budgets and institutional reforms in line with the Eighth National Development Plan (8NDP) and Vision 2030.
And Emoluments Commission Director General, Chembo Mbula, said the commission has observed inconsistencies, variations, and disparities in salaries and conditions of service across TEVET institutions as highlighted in the Mwanalushi Salaries Review Commission Report.
Mr Mbula said the commission will address the disparities and ensure fairness in remuneration, and in salaries and conditions of service that have been identified.
“For the institutions we have engaged with so far, we have noted major challenges in the salary grading structures. There is a need to put in place comprehensive measures and systems to reform emoluments management, including effective performance management systems,” Mr Mbula said.
Meanwhile, Lukashya Trade Training Institute Principal, Cephas Chitasho, said the harmonisation of salaries will help motivate workers to work harder and improve their overall performance.
Mr Chitasho added that the move will also enhance the living standards of employees in the sector.
