Zambia : Free Education Gives Vulnerable Learners A Second Chance

A school headteacher at Mumbolo Secondary School in Mwansabombwe District has commended the United Party for National Development (UPND) administration for introducing free education.

Mumbolo Secondary School headteacher Ireen Mpundu told ZANIS in an interview that her school has 22 former dropouts who have since returned to class because of the free education policy.

Ms Mpundu said the introduction of free education, which is now law, has given hope to many vulnerable children in the community to attain an education.

Ms Mpundu disclosed that Mumbolo Secondary School has a total enrolment of 318 learners, of whom 22 are those who returned because of the free education policy.

“Our school runs from form one to form five. We have a total number of 318 learners. 22 of these learners are the ones who just returned because of free education,” she said.

She added that the free education policy has helped address the issue of school dropouts, as even the less privileged in the community are now able to attend school.

Meanwhile, Ms Mpundu appealed to the relevant authorities to consider constructing additional classroom blocks at the school to accommodate the growing number of learners.

She also requested for the construction of staff houses, saying that currently all teachers travel long distances from Kazembe and other surrounding areas to get to the school.

“Accommodation is the biggest challenge here. There is not even a single house for teachers at this school. We stay from different locations, others from Kazembe and we travel on a daily basis using motorbikes which is not safe for us,” she requested.

And a former school dropout who returned to school because of the free education policy has thanked the government for actualising the initiative and signing it into law.

Emmanuel Chimuka said he had stopped school because he had no one to support him with the required school materials, but that the introduction of free education has enabled him to return to class.

Another school dropout, Ezborn Chunga, said he stopped school because his parents could not afford to buy him school uniforms or pay tuition fees, but the free education policy has enabled him to return to class.

Meanwhile, Esnart Mwanza said both her parents are dead, and her grandmother whom she had been living with also passed away, leaving her with no one to support her education.

“I used to stay with my parents but after they died, I started staying with my grandmother. Unfortunately, she also died. So, I had no option but to stop school. Now that there is free education my dream will be realised,” she said.

She said the introduction of free education has given her another opportunity to get back to school so that she can get her desired education.

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