Teachers' Unions want education ministry restructured

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The Zambia National Union of Teachers (ZNUT) and the Basic Education Teachers Union of Zambia (BETUZ) have called for the appointment of an Education Minister with a strong understanding of the sector and the ability to engage all key stakeholders.

The unions say the next minister should prioritise quality education, teacher welfare, infrastructure development and improved learning outcomes.

ZNUT General Secretary Muvwanjilanji Siwila says the minister should be able to implement Government policies while ensuring that teachers, learners, parents, unions and other stakeholders are involved in decisions affecting the education sector.

Mr Siwila says the minister should also address challenges affecting teachers, particularly accommodation in rural and urban areas, and improve school infrastructure.

He says the ministry should urgently address overcrowding in schools and the high teacher-pupil ratio, noting that some classrooms have more than 100 learners.

Mr Siwila says the minister should understand the different challenges faced by communities, especially those in disadvantaged areas, and ensure that disparities in the provision of education are reduced.

He says the minister should maintain an open-door policy and work closely with teachers' unions, non-governmental organisations and parents to improve the quality of education.

Mr Siwila says the focus should not only be on implementing policies but also on measuring whether those policies are producing better results for learners.

He has also expressed concern over the progression of learners through Forms 1 to 4, particularly the lack of examinations during that period.

Mr Siwila says the minister should closely monitor learners' academic progress throughout secondary school to prevent pupils from reaching Form 4 without acquiring the necessary knowledge and skills.

He says producing learners with inadequate knowledge could have long-term consequences for the country, particularly when such learners proceed to higher education and eventually enter critical professions.

Meanwhile, BETUZ General Secretary Henry Sinkala says the next Education Minister should be someone who is grounded in the education sector and understands its role in national development.

Dr Sinkala says education should be treated as a key driver of national development rather than simply as another government sector.

He says BETUZ would prefer a minister with an educational background and a clear understanding of the challenges affecting the sector.

Dr Sinkala has further proposed the complete separation of the Ministry of Education into two ministries to improve efficiency and reduce the workload on senior officials.

He says one ministry should be responsible for higher education institutions, including universities, while another should oversee primary, basic and secondary education, as well as colleges of education.

Dr Sinkala says both ministries should be headed by ministers with relevant experience and supported by permanent secretaries with expertise in their respective areas.

He says the education sector has more than 200,000 workers, representing more than half of the public service, making it difficult for one minister and two permanent secretaries to effectively manage the entire sector.

Dr Sinkala says the proposed restructuring would allow responsibilities to be shared and improve efficiency in the administration and delivery of education services.

He says the absence of deputy ministers has further increased the workload on the Minister and permanent secretaries.

Dr Sinkala says dividing the ministry would therefore help reduce the administrative burden while allowing Government to focus more effectively on improving performance and service delivery in the education sector.

ENDS

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