26 May 2003
EDUCATION authorities in Western Province have commended the New Deal Government for introducing good educational policies in Zambia.
District education officers for Mongu, Kalabo, Senanga and Shang'ombo districts said in separate occasions that the introduction of the free education policy had increased the number of poor people's children enrolment in schools.
Shang'ombo district education officer Clement Sinyinda said the New Deal administration had performed well in areas of free education, bursary schemes for the underprivileged, deployment of teachers to rural schools and the introduction of reading initiatives and skills for lower grades in various areas in the province.
"We would like to register our appreciation and gratitude to the New Deal Government for all the national education programmes that have been put in place," he said.
Mr Sinyinda added that Government, in conjunction with the donor community and other funding agencies, had recently helped improve school infrastructure in the province.
He was speaking at Shang'ombo high school where Education Deputy Minister Paul Katema addressed teachers drawn from different schools in the district.
Meanwhile, Mr Sinyinda asked Government to consider completing the Sioma high school, which was started in 1987.
He said the only high school in the district had been abandoned by the World Bank adding that the non-completion of the institution had adversely affected pupils.
"The incomplete structures since 1987 however, have adversely affected the learning of the pupils and the morale of teachers.
There is need for the Government to complete the structures so that boarding facilities for girls can be made available," he said.
And Mr Katema promised education authorities of Government's continued support in improving the education sector in the country.
He said Government's good educational policies attracted many donor communities to venture into improving infrastructure in schools.
Mr Katema urged school authorities and building committees to be transparent and accountable to satisfy donors on how their funds were being used.
Mr Katema visited several school projects funded by the Zambia Social Investment Fund (Zamsif), Basic Education Sub-Sector Investment Project (BESSIP), African Development Fund (ADF) and other agencies.--Zana
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