UNICEF wins kudos for enhancing education in Zambia

Government has paid tribute to the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) for contributing to the enhancement of quality of education in the country.

Minister of Education John Phiri said UNICEF has been working with government to build capacity of teachers and to formulate school improvement plans.

Dr. Phiri said this in Lusaka today in a speech read for him by his deputy, David Mabumba, when UNICEF handed over four vehicles to the Ministry of Education meant for selected provinces.

He said the handover could not have come at a better time than now as the ministry was faced with many transport challenges at all levels.

He said the financial resources and expertise that have been rendered to the Ministry of Education from cooperating partners have created pre-conditions for the implementation of policies aimed at achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Dr. Phiri said UNICEF has had interventional programmes in the educational sector in the 16 target districts such as Katete, Kalabo, Isoka and Mporokoso.

He said the overall programme goal was to enhance the quality of education being provided in the 16 target districts with specific projects.

And UNICEF Country Representative Hamid Ibrahim said government has made tremendous strides in improving access to basic education.

Dr. Ibrahim noted that in the period 2010 to 2013, there has been an increase in pupil enrolments in grade one to nine from 3.16 million to 3.52 million.

He said government has further invested in improving the quality of education as demonstrated by the successful launch and roll out of the revised school curriculum.