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Education is one of the fundamental human rights and it is also contained in the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) targets for 2015. Very soon we shall mark the half way point for these goals to be achieved.
This is achievable, and we shall achieve it. The question is: What quality of Education shall we achieve by the year 2015? The Government of Zambia has made a lot of strides in making sure that the citizenry is educated. Primary schools (up to grade 7) have (almost) been fade out and high schools (grades 10 to 12) have been introduced. The primary schools are now basic schools (grades 1 to 9).
This is a good idea. Children can now have a basic education. With basic education, children should as well be equipped with the learning environment they would encounter when they qualify to Grade 10. At the moment there is hardly any basic school with lab facilities to foster for some practical works. more can be said on this, you may add your own thoughts.
The basic schools have now out numbered the high schools. So, where do those children that qualify to go to Grade 10 go to when the high school are already filled? They have nowhere to go to besides going back home and trying to help with different chores at home or worse still, start with the vices we teach them against. Again, you may add more of your thoughts.
The majority of the teachers in these basic schools are trained to teach up to grade 7. Now they have to be tasked to teach grades 8 and 9 - without training!! The infrastructure is not enough to handle the many children and teachers. There is under staffing, and many teachers have to do double classes. this is not just a double class. It's a class where you would have grade 3 and 4 pupils learning in the same class. What logic there is in this I still do not understand.
The children have been learning for free up to Grade 9. And they were happy the government was helping them. They would qualify to go senior secondary, and now be faced with the headache of searching for at least half a million kwacha to get to school. Free education should be free education at all levels otherwise we are moving more steps backwards than we are forwarding.
Government should not just upgrade the grades in schools, they should upgrade all the staff, infrastructure and financial help for education to be for all at all times.
Zambia needs a much dedicated effort in achieving education for all. it is achievable.
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Matongo Maumbi
Matongo Maumbi aka Afromatrix, is a producer at Radio Chikuni in southern rural Zambia on 91.8fm. I have been a practicing journalist since 2000 and ICTs for development in rural areas and youth related issues have been of particular interest. I have an interest in writing, and when I do it's a good piece. I believe that sharing such information with a wider group can enhance good growth on my part in Chikuni and the other parts of the world.
I am male and 24 years old, single and hope to marry the girl I have intimate emotions with.
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