The Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training Authority (TEVETA) has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that training institutions in Zambia maintain high standards of education and skills development through strict quality assurance mechanisms.
TEVETA Training Standards Division Director Rudo Banda says
the Authority’s primary responsibility is to ensure that all learning processes meet established national standards to produce competent graduates capable of contributing effectively to Zambia’s socio-economic development.
Ms Banda explained that quality assurance activities include inspecting and registering TEVET institutions, accrediting trainers, assessors and examiners and advising institutions on compliance with the TEVET Act.
Speaking during a presentation on Quality Assurance in Kafue today, Ms Banda warned that institutions that allegedly fail to meet the minimum standards risks being deregistered.
“Our mandate is to ensure that institutions deliver training that meets industry expectations. This involves continuous inspection, accreditation and capacity-building for trainers and management,” she said.
She outlined that TEVET institutions are graded according to their capability to offer quality training, with Grade One institutions scoring between 75 and 100 percent, signifying very good systems in management, staffing and facilities while ungraded institutions, scoring below 45 percent, are deemed to have failed to meet the minimum requirements.
She also revealed that as at 31st July, 2025, TEVETA statistics shows that Zambia currently has 484 registered training institutions with Lusaka Province leading with 187 institutions, followed by the Copperbelt with 113, while Muchinga Province has the least with only five.
Of the registered institutions, 42.8 percent are privately owned, 31.2 percent are government-run, and 12.2 percent are church-affiliated, while the remainder are operated by communities, companies, trusts and non-governmental organizations.
Ms Banda however hinted that the number of registered TEVET institutions might reach 500 before the end of this year owing to increased and enhanced CDF which people are utilising to open up new trades learning institutions.
She added that registration with TEVETA offers several benefits, including legal recognition, access to government funding, use of industry-recognized curricula, and production of graduates whose qualifications are accepted nationwide.
“Quality assurance in TEVET is not just about compliance; it is about ensuring that the country produces graduates who can perform effectively in both formal and informal sectors,” Banda stressed.
On deregistration, Ms Banda said six institutions had their licenses revoked due to failure to comply and lack of proper learning tools and documentation.
And Ms Banda has disclosed that TEVETA has been decentralized into two regions namely Southern and Northern.
The Training Standards Division Director said it has eight Inspectors who conduct inspections on yearly basis to ensures that compliance is adhered to by tertiary trade schools.
Meanwhile, TEVETA Corporate Affairs Manager Clive Siachiyako stressed the need for the media to closely work with the Authority,
Mr Siachiyako challenged journalists in the country to highlight success stories especially on TEVET institutions supervised by the Authority.
What are standards? Does the minister or even her reach Technology or Education Standards? What did they study and at what level? People with apprenticeship degrees, Bachelors are not educated to lead institutions like TEVETA or the Ministry of Technology. That’s why standards are low. They reflect the people on top. People please.