4,200 New Teachers, Announces Education Secretary

Following an unprecedented number of applications, 4,200 new teachers have been hired for the government’s public education system, Education Minister Douglas Syakalima announced at a press conference on Wednesday. These include primary, secondary, and special-needs teachers and are funded by provisions in the 2024 budget. This number exceeds the government’s targets, creating not just thousands of jobs, but also greatly strengthening Zambia’s education sector.

The conference was attended by Mr Syakalima, two government permanent secretaries and representatives of the Teaching Services Commission and teachers’ unions, along with members of the press. Speaking first, Daphne Nawa-Chimuka, chairperson of the Teaching Services Commission said that the hirings “demonstrate the government’s commitment to provide quality education to all Zambians, as it takes us closer to attaining our goal of the desired teacher-pupil ratio of 1:35 and 1:40 at secondary and primary respectively”. The current ratios stand closer to 1:50, but this represents a significant step towards reaching this target.

Furthermore, Ms Nawa-Chimuka explained that the new teachers were hired with Zambia’s new competence-based curriculum in mind, which has ushered in a “significant transformation” in the way Zambian schools operate. Its intention is to ensure that the education system remains responsive to global changes, equipping Zambian children to succeed in the dynamic and fast-changing world of the 21st century. To this end, successful applicants are those with specialised skills, as well as sufficient qualifications.

Mr Syakalima was eager to place this announcement in context alongside the government’s other achievements in the education sector: the Education For All policy and significant investments into school infrastructure. He explained. that this is a “deliberate step to improve education standards in the country”.

The minister finished by specifying that the new teachers will begin work on Monday 7 April, and thanked President Hakainde Hichilema for his “unwavering commitment to ensuring every Zambian child receives a quality education”.