• The main challenge that the education system is currently facing is the low literacy levels.
• Youth and adult literacy education continue to be least resourced in the Education and Skills Sector.
• This is evidenced from the analysis of the 2022 National Budget allocation to the Education and Skills Sector by ZANEC.

Zambia National Education Coalition (ZANEC) has called on Ministry of Finance to allocate funds towards recruitment of more adult literacy instructors targeting all the provinces and not only one province as it was in the 2022 national budget.

Commenting on this year’s commemoration of International Literacy Day, ZANEC Executive Director George Hamusunga observed that youth and adult literacy education continue to be least resourced in the Education and Skills Sector, despite the important role that literacy plays in the country’s education system.

Mr. Hamusunga said this is evidenced from the organization’s analysis of the 2022 National Budget allocation to the Education and Skills Sector.

“Literacy, which simply refers to one’s ability to read and write should be a must especially in this era where almost everything is being digitalized. The important role that literacy plays in a person’s wellbeing and the ability to contribute to national development cannot be over-emphasized.”

“The main challenge that our education system is currently facing is the low literacy levels even among our children at primary school level. With only 5% of grade 7 pupils achieving minimum proficiency in literacy according to the 2018 report by the organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, our education system is experiencing a foundational literacy crisis. Therefore, something needs to be done now to reverse the status quo,” Mr. Hamusunga stated.

Meanwhile, Mr. Hamusunga stressed the need to embrace blended learning spaces that combine physical and remote learning modes to mitigate against the learning loss that has resulted from the recent closure of schools due to the COVID 19 pandemic.

“This is because the COVID 19 pandemic brought about a wakeup call not to do things as usual in the Education and Skills Sector. Learning should no longer be confined to a classroom or meeting physically.”

“We need learning spaces that can help us provide continuity of learning even during calamities such as the COVID 19 pandemic. It has been observed that although digital learning is key in providing continuity of learning in homes, not everyone has access to digital platforms, hence the need for investment in digital infrastructure especially in rural areas,” he stated.

He said it is sad that most people in communities are unable to access Constituency Development Funds (CDF) because they are unable to read and write, as 81 percent of urban women and 91% of urban men are literate, compared with 54% of rural women and 74% of rural men.

“ZANEC is saddened that according to UNESCO, nearly 24 million learners might never return to formal education post COVID 19, out of which, 11 million are projected to be girls and young women. Further, according to the Zambia demographic health survey of 2018, people living in urban areas are more likely to be literate than those living in rural areas, although the gap in literacy rates between urban and rural populations is higher among women than among men,” Mr. Hamusunga said.