Education

Over the past six years, Zambia's Education-For-All Policy has revolutionized access to education, providing free schooling for children across the country. Launched at the primary level in 2018 and expanded to early childhood education (ECE) and secondary schools in 2021, this initiative reflects President Hakainde Hichilema’s dedication to enhancing educational practices and policies that empower Zambian children to reach their full potential. His commitment was recognized at the ADEA Conference in October 2023, where he was nominated as a Champion of Foundational Learning. These pivotal reforms aim to dismantle barriers to education and ensure every child’s right to learn.

Despite these advancements, numerous challenges remain in the Zambian education system. Early childhood education access is critically low, with fewer than 35% of children entering Grade 1 having experienced formal pre-primary education. Consequently, many children experience delayed entry into primary school. The education sector contends with years of underinvestment, particularly in ECE, which is the most under-resourced area. Moreover, per capita spending for children aged 0-6 is five times lower than for older youth. Quality early learning is further hindered by a shortage of qualified teachers, high teacher-pupil ratios, insufficient infrastructure, and inadequate teaching materials.

Quality of education remains a pressing issue. Overall, learners struggle to meet the minimum pass mark of 40%. In Grade 2, only 4% of students achieve the government's minimum reading proficiency, a decline from 8%. For Grade 5 learners, mean scores are 34.97% in English and 31.07% in Mathematics, with only 8.7% and 5.4% respectively reaching desired proficiency levels. Transition rates from primary to secondary school are alarmingly low at just 63%, primarily due to a lack of available spaces for graduates. Only 46.8% of secondary students progress to tertiary education, exacerbated by the barriers faced by girls, including early marriages, teenage pregnancies, and limited access to sexual and reproductive health information.

Violence in schools further disrupts learning; 63% of students report being bullied, and 97% have experienced corporal punishment. Such an environment negatively impacts academic performance and increases dropout rates. Additionally, overcrowded classrooms, a lack of textbooks, and limited access to digital learning resources hinder the transition from secondary to tertiary education. This digital divide disproportionately affects girls, children with disabilities, and out-of-school youth, perpetuating cycles of disadvantage and limiting access to vital skills necessary for future employment.

Zambia is on a path to improve education for all, but urgent action is needed to address these challenges and ensure that every child can succeed.

Education in numbers

• 11.2 per cent ECE enrolment
• 81.80 per cent Net primary school enrolment
• 1.03 Gender Parity Index (GPI) at primary school
• 0.94 Gender Parity Index (GPI) at secondary school
• 63.00 per cent transition rate to secondary school
• 1.07 Pupil-book ratio at primary
• 41.5 Pupil-classroom ratio at primary
• 56.5 Pupil teacher ratio at primary