The Zambia National Education Coalition (ZANEC) has hailed the government’s rescheduling of the first term in 2021.
In a statement released to the media, ZANEC Executive Director, George Hamusunga says the Ministry of General education’s decision to reschedule the re-opening of the first term from 4th January 4th,2020 to 18th, January 2020 is a step in the right direction.
Mr. Hamusunge said the move will enable parents and guardians to prepare adequately for their children’ s return to school both financially and mentally.
“After analyzing the responses from stakeholders, ZANEC would like to welcome the recent statement by the Ministry of General Education Permanent Secretary Dr. Jobbicks Kalumba in which he indicated that all schools will open for term one on 18th January 2021 instead of 4th January 2021 as earlier announced,” Mr. Hamusunga explained.
Government has expressed concerns with the low number of school leavers finding places in tertiary institutions.
And Minister of Higher Education, Brian Mushimba says this is the reason the Ministry is working on modalities of increasing enrolment levels in universities and colleges which he said currently stands at only about twenty percent of School leavers.
Dr Mushimba pointed out that one way of increasing access to tertiary education is through the use of digital platform as it does not put demand on building physical structures. Dr Mushimba who was speaking at the Zambia National Education Coalition (ZANEC) 2020, media awards in Lusaka today, thanked the media for actively sharing stories on the impact of the COVID19 pandemic on education.