Education System Needs Revisiting

The Zambian education and research system needs to be revisited to make it responsive to the current national needs, National Institute for Scientific and Industrial Research executive director, Mwananyanda Mbikusita Lewanika has said.

And Education Minister, Geoffrey Lungwangwa has said the Government recognises the important role played by research in national development.

Dr Mbikusita-Lewanika said in Lusaka yesterday that the current education and research system had failed to meet the social and economic needs of Zambia. Dr Mbikusita-Lewanika, who is Zambia Academy of Science president, said this in his keynote speech during the First International Multi-discipline conference on recent advances in research held at University of Zambia (UNZA) Great East road campus.

“The country is producing unprecedented numbers of grade sevens, grade 10s, and grade 12s, certificate holders, diploma holders, university graduates and post university graduates. “Where the education and research system has failed is in propelling the social and economic development of this nation,” Dr Mbikusita-Lewanika told the two-day conference. He said that the current research and education systems in Zambia had outlived their usefulness, hence the need to change them.

He said the curricula should be changed in order for them to help resolve national challenges while subjects should be taught in a way, which would link the basics to the actual application. Dr Mbikusita-Lewanika said that the systems should equip graduates with the necessary survival skills while helping to meet national challenges. Officiating at the occasion, Professor Lungwangwa said because of the importance the Government attached to research, it had last year allocated K500 million to UNZA for research activities.

Prof Lungwangwa said in a speech read for him by his deputy, Lucy Change that researches should, however, not be conducted for their own sakes.

“As academics carry out their research, they should ensure that research findings are translated into policy and programmes. “Therefore, there is a great need for researchers to work together with the stakeholders from the industry and other sectors of the economy to ensure that research becomes relevant to our development needs,” he said. Earlier, UNZA vice-chancellor, Steven Simukanga hailed the Government for its commitment to the operations of the university particularly in the research field.

Professor Simukanga said the Government had augmented the university’s efforts in reviving research activities following the K500 million funding last year. He said it was against that backdrop that the conference was being held to provide a platform to faculties, which benefited from the fund to disseminate their research findings.

Some of the presentations were from schools of mines, veterinary medicine, education and engineering.