Luapula Province Education Officer Grace Sikolongo has disclosed that policy interventions in the education sector by government has helped the province to improve on its academic performance.
The Provincial Education Officer said Luapula Province coming out number one at national level in grade 7 2025 examinations was not a coincidence but proof that various government policies in the education sector were working for Luapula Province.
She pointed to out that the province went on to come out number 5 in both grade 9 and 12 examinations at national level and that this was the first time it was happening as previously the province would always be at the bottom.
In an interview with the media, Ms. Sikolongo revealed that 48 new Schools have been constructed in Luapula since 2021 so as to provide more classroom spaces for learners.
She said the new schools comprises of both primary and secondary which are dotted across the province.
” If we talk of new schools, we are referring to schools which were never there in the first place meaning children used to cover long distances but this is slowly changing because of the policy of schools’ expansions,” she noted.
The Provincial Education Officer further Indicated that a total of 664 classroom blocks have been put up in already existing schools across the province.
She explains that the expansion of classroom blocks has gone on to support the free education policy which has seen over 100 thousand learners in Luapula getting back to school.
” As a province we have continued to see an increase in enrollment at all grades hence the expansion of classroom spaces through the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) was helping us to respond to issues of classroom spaces,” she noted.
And on the issue of desks, Ms Sikolongo pointed out that a total of 59 thousand have been manufactured and supplied to schools across the province.
She explained that the province was working closely with the local authorities to see to it that each school had enough desks so that no leaner sat on the floor.
” Once learners have a conducive learning environment then even their performance is expected to improve and that is what we want to achieve,” she stated.
Ms Sinkolongo added the catch-up program which was implemented for grade 3 up to 5 has also had a great impact on learner performance.
She said the catch – up program has been further strengthened by the recruitment of over 3 thousand teachers in Luapula since 2022.
Ms Sikolongo thanked various stakeholders such as the world bank who were helping to improve the education sector in the province.
” Under the keeping girls in school initiative by world bank we have over 13 thousand learners benefiting from the program and this has had great impact on promoting girl child education,” she said.
