UNICEF donates 78 motorbikes to Ministry of Education

UNICEF donates 78 motorbikes to Ministry of Education

Lusaka, April 4, ZANIS—— United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has donated 78 Motorbikes and 2 Banana boats valued at KR 972,900.00 thousand to the Ministry of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education.

 UNICEF also donated 28,420 supplementary readers for grade 1 to 4 of which 19,200 are in local languages (Silozi, Ichibemba and Chinyanja) and 8,900 are in English.

Speaking during the handover ceremony today in Lusaka, UNICEF Deputy Representative Shaya Asindua said UNICEF will continue supporting Government in providing quality education to children in Zambia.

The UNICEF Deputy Representative said providing equitable access to quality education will remain a priority for UNICEF as this will help Zambia achieve the Millennium development goals.

She explained that UNICEF’s education support to Government is focused on early education, quality education, water and sanitation, child protection in schools and provision of life skills.

Ms Asindua said the motorbikes will help Standards Officers to monitor and supervisor education programmes resulting in improved education system while the supplementary readers will assist in improving the reading skills among the learners.

The UNICEF Deputy Representative said continuous professional development and guidance from the standards officers is critical in ensuring that Teachers provide the right content to the learners in the most effective way.

Meanwhile UNICEF has saluted government through the Ministry of Education for the strides it has made in improving access to basic education.

Ms Asindua said UNICEF is impressed with the current enrolment rate for grade 1 to 7 which stands at 96 percent.

She said the current enrolment rates positions Zambia towards achieving Millennium Development goal number 2 and 3 which ensures that by 2015 children will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling.

Ms Asindua said the move by government to recruit 5,000 teachers this year is a welcome development as most of the schools will have teachers in place.

And in receiving the donation Ministry of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education Minister John Phiri praised UNICEF for supplementing government efforts in equipping provinces and district with transport.

Dr Phiri complained that lack of transport made it difficult for Officers to monitor learners and teachers in most parts of the country.

He said with transport in place education officers have no excuse to give and ensure that they put to good use the motorbikes donated.

The 78 motorbikes and reading material will be shared among four provinces namely Eastern, Western, Luapula and Muchinga while the two boast have been allocated to Kalabo and Chilubi Island.