Education is a right in Zambia, Douglas Munsaka Syakalima tells Education Ministers Group of 77 Plus China

Education is a right in Zambia, Douglas Munsaka Syakalima tells Education Ministers Group of 77 Plus China

….“Zambia Promotes Quality Education and Innovation at G77 Meeting.”

By DERRICK SINJELA, SAEED SIMON BANDA, HENRY CHUNZA and MALVIN NKHOMA

In a Paper virtually presented by the Minister of Education in Zambia Douglas Munsaka Syakalima

at the Meeting of the Ministers of Education

of the Group of 77 Plus China, Zambia reinforced that access to literacy is a right.

Deliberating as an abstract, Syakalima indicated without hesitation that

the Government of Zambia recognizes education as a right for all citizens and interprets quality education through the learning environment, content of education guided by the Career Pathways and Teaching & Learning Processes.

Serving as a United Party for National Development (UPND) Siavonga Member of Parliament (MP), Syakalima told a global audience that the education system is expected to produce a learner capable of developing an analytical, innovative, creative and constructive mind.

“However, the outbreak of covid-19 hampered the implementation of quality education where about four and a half million learners were adversely affected. The Government of Zambia has set for itself the goals of producing a learner capable of being analytical.

The effects of covid-19 included stress among learners, teachers and teacher educators, loss of learning time and lack of hands-on activities. To mitigate the effects of covid-19, Zambia used and developed strategies that ensured continued learning including the introduction of electronic learning (E – Learning) Platforms aimed at providing quality education to all learners,” noted Syakalima, in a Friday, 3rd February, 2023 Press Statement circulated by Ms. Kunda Mando

Head – Communications

Ministry of Education (MoE).

This Meeting constitutes the First Activity of The Temporary Presidency of Cuba in the Group of 77 Plus China with the participation of delegations from 51 countries, as an opportunity to assess the teaching – educational context of common interest to all, and the consolidation of ties of cooperation and solidarity between delegates from latin america and the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia.

Also participating in person from Zambia is Dr. Benson Banda, Director at the National Science Centre, Ministry of Education In Zambia.

The Meeting of Education Ministers of the Group 77 Plus China takes place in the context of the 18th International Congress “Pedagogy 2023”, which has been held until today Friday, February 3rd 2023, at the Palace of Conventions in Havana, with the aim of evaluating the issues that concern all countries in the post-pandemic context.

Syakalima cited several challenges inhibiting the implementation of quality education during the covid-19 era as and not limited to geographic and remote location where signal was poor, high cost of ICT facilities & tools and E-Content Gap among implementers.

Pleased with the New Dawn Administration’s free education agenda, championed by President Hakainde Sammy Hichilema, Syakalima said the Government of Zambia devised and introduced strategies to respond to the challenges encountered through developing appropriate E-learning, Resources and materials, capacity building teachers and teacher educators in ICT skills and competencies, procuring ICT gadgets for connectivity, TV and radio programming and Developing National E-learning Portal.

Syakalima says in implementation of Goals of Education in Zambia,

the Government of Zambia has set for itself eight (8) goals of producing a learner capable of;

“(i) Being animated by a personally held set of civic, moral and spiritual values

(ii) Developing an analytical, innovative, creative and constructive mind

(iii)  Appreciating the relationship between scientific thought, action and technology on the one hand, and sustenance of the quality of life on the other

(iv) Demonstrating free expression of one’s own ideas and exercising tolerance for other people’s views

(v) Cherishing and Safeguarding individual liberties and Human Right

(vi) appreciating Zambia’s ethnic cultures, customs and traditions, and upholding national pride, sovereignty, peace, freedom and independence

(vii)  Participating in the preservation of the ecosystems in one’s immediate and distant environments

(viii) Maintaining and observing discipline and hard work as the cornerstones of personal and national development

 to realize quality education, the Government of Zambia implemented career pathways and used the Learning Management Platforms (LMP)”.

On Strategies Employed to go to resolve challenges faced

to resolve the challenges encountered during the introduction of Electronic Learning (E – Learning) has consented to again eight interventions:

“i. Appropriate E-learning resources and materials were developed in line with the curricula content

ii. Teachers and teacher educators were capacity built in ict skills and competencies

iii. Financial Resources were mobilized to procure ICT gadgets and promote access to ICT facilities

iv. Standardized ICT initiatives were established and managed

v. Learning Management Platform that enabled easy monitoring of the progression of learners at all levels was developed

vi. E-content on the National E-learning Portal was developed and uploaded

vii. New TV equipment for educational studios was procured

viii. Radio and TV programmes were digitalized”.

As a country, Syakalima says Zambia endeavors to achieve quality education, by ensuring that all learners have access to the highest standards of learning.

To achieve this goal, Syakalima reiterated that the Government of the Republic of Zambia recognizes the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) Where its vision emanates from”.

“The Vision for Zambia’s Education sits on the SDG 4: “Ensure Inclusive and Equitable Quality Education and Promote Lifelong  Learning Opportunities,” Syakalima told a global audience of educationists.