The Basic Education Teachers Union of Zambia (BETUZ) has described as a success the building material loan scheme which was launched in 2003.
BETUZ Secretary General Jeffrey Simuntala says seven hundred and thirty three thousand Kwacha has since been spent on the building loan scheme.
Mr. Simuntala told ZANIS that the teacher union was targeting to reach two thousand teachers by the end of this year.
He explained that two hundred and thirty five teachers have so far benefited from the time the loan project was launched.
The union leader says the number of beneficiaries keeps increasing as the programme is aimed at empowering teachers to build their own houses before they retire.
He said more teachers belonging to the union have shown interest to receive subsidized building materials once some teachers are weaned off the programme.
Mr. Simuntala said one major challenge faced was that of teachers grappling with acquiring plots on which to build the houses.
He however said the union has since engaged the district councils countrywide to assist the union members in acquiring plots on which to build teacher houses.
