Chibombo, Thursday (January 18, 2024)
MEDIA STATEMENT
UPND Katuba Member of Parliament Mwabashike Nkulukusa says President Hakainde Hichilema is happy with over enrollment in schools because it is a good problem being addressed through building more classrooms.
Mr. Nkulukusa says the Head of State has prioritised Education of which he wants all children to be in school than growing up without education, hence the Free Education Policy.
The Lawmaker says the President is, therefore, aggressively and expeditiously addressing the challenge of congestion in classes by building more classrooms under the expanded Constituency Development Fund-CDF.
Mr. Nkulukusa has since paid tribute to ChildFund and the Transearch Foundation led by Ulrich Ackermann and his wife of Germany for their role in building additional classrooms in Chibombo District, Central Province.
Mr. Nkulukusa said this when ChildFund handed over to Government another 1 by 2 classroom block at Katete Primary School in Mungule District, built by the Ackermanns.
“President Hichilema has prioritised basic education as his number one priority. We are facing battles because some of the people want us to do roads first. Others are saying let us start with bridges first. Others want dip tanks but the President has given us a very strict instruction that first education, second health and then you can consider other priorities. So, as we try to develop this Country and this Constituency, we are towing the route of our Master who is the President. When people said we now have too many people enrolling in schools because of Free Education, the President told us that there are good problems and bad problems. The problem of over enrollment is a good problem because all you need is to put up a 1 by 2 classroom block,” he said.
At the same function, Chibombo District Council Chairperson Newton Nyeleti thanked the Ackermanns for the immense contribution to Zambia’s education sector, citing their earlier project, Namununga School, which includes classroom blocks, teachers houses, a health center with staff houses, a pre-school , a hammer mill, tuckshop, running water and solar energy.
“Last year, Mr. Ackermann handed over a water reticulation system at this school. By expanding classroom space, you have really lightened the burden of Government. The challenges of Chibombo are so enormous. Where Government would have spent some money, you as a cooperating partner has come in and we want to thank you,” he said.
