MINISTERS MUST PREPARE BEFORE THEY MAKE PUBLIC OR MEDIA APPEARANCES

Dear Editor,

“HOW will the CDF deliver free education and bursary schemes?”

The ZNBC Sunday Interview with Grevazio Zulu this week hosted the Minister of Education, Mr Douglas Siakalima.

The Ministry of Education is key among institutions tasked to implement pre-election campaign promises made by the UPND.

Major policy changes have been pronounced including free education for early childhood, primary and secondary schools, and the way education services will be delivered to Zambians.

Although, education services to these category of schools have largely been free since 2011, Mr Siakalima was expected to explain the difference or changes that have occurred since his government came into office.

He also missed the opportunity to explain how the new changes will be implemented.

Two key issues I felt Mr Siakalima has not understood or failed to explain is how the recruitment of 30, 000 teachers would be done and how CDF will be used to support bursary schemes for learners at boarding schools and those pursuing tertiary education.

TEACHER RECRUITMENT

The Minister was clearly sailing at sea and failed to explain the recruitment process of teachers in the public service.

Let me help him as his technocrats clearly failed him. 

The mandate of teacher recruitment is now deposited in the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) in line with Article 223 of Republican Constitution as amended in 2016.

Further, the Service Commission Act no 10 of 2016 gives mandate to the Commission to delegate some of its Human Resources functions to the Human Resources Management Committees at district level, whose composition of its membership is prescribed in the Act and one of the major functions was teacher recruitment.

THE ROLE OF CDF 
IN BURSARY SCHEMES

The Constituency Development Fund (CDF) is established by Article 162 of the Republican Constitution and is operationalised by the CDF Act No.11 of 2018.

Government has since issued the CDF guidelines on the management, disbursement, utilisation and accountability of the fund.

The CDF has a secretariat at the local council. It must be emphasised that there are no developmental structures at the constituency level although Government is trying to include Ward Development Committees in the process.

The Fund is divided into four main components;

1. Community-based projects – 60 percent

2. Youth Empowerment – 10 percent.

3. Women Empowerment – 10 percent.

4. Secondary School and Tertiary Bursaries – 20 percent (K6, 425, 000)

When asked how the CDF will pay for vulnerable children and the selection criteria especially that schools may open by January 10, 2022, Mr Siakalima just summarised that everything will be ready by then.

He also failed to explain why parents have to pay fees of K1, 000 for boarding schools.

He also failed to explain how vulnerability will be determined or assessed for children eligible for free education especially for those located in rural areas.

Mr Siakalima is one of the longest and experienced members of Parliament serving Chirundu constituency and he is a qualified educationist.

He is expected to deliver the policies on quality education and implement the policy of free education.

His appearance on ZNBC Sunday Interview appeared unprepared and unfortunately cast doubt  as to whether or not whether he is equal to the task.

Learners from early childhood, primary school, secondary schools, colleges and universities want to understand how they will benefit from the bursary schemes.

Similarly, school managers also want to understand how this will be done and how the cost of running schools will be met.

The minister and his technocrats may be required to roll out extensive information on how all this will be done and achieved. 

Further, a close collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development is required and is imperative, especially that 20 percent of CDF will fund the education needs and bursary schemes of eligible learners.

Further concerns is how equitable the 20 percent

of CDF which is K6, 425, 000 will be shared as constituencies are different by size, population and distance. 

EMMANUEL MWAMBA.