• The meeting will discuss in detail Student Parliament and share through a presentation on how it works.
• In 2021, ZANEC held two orientation meetings.
• Democracy is taking on board the views of the majority.

Zambia National Education Coalition (ZANEC) says it has been working in collaboration with Youth Empowerment and Transformation Trust on a regional level project.
Speaking during the Orientation Meeting on the operationalization of Student Parliament, ZANEC Board Chairperson for Skills and Tertiary Subsector Christine Menda said the project dubbed Student Academic Freedom Regional Advocacy Program (SAFRAP), is aimed at creating an inclusive environment within which students can take part in the governance and pursuit of inclusive, equitable quality higher and Tertiary education.
Mrs. Menda disclosed that the organization has since conducted several orientation engagements on academic freedoms with a focus on students.
“In 2021, ZANEC held two orientation meetings, the first one was on the validation of the student situation analysis study and the second meeting was on academic freedom which mainly focused on student parliament.”
“Therefore, this meeting is based on the outcome of the academic freedom and student parliament meeting that took place on 29th June, 2021. The meeting will discuss in detail Student Parliament and share through a presentation on how it works. It will also link student parliament’s role in ensuring that there is academic freedom in higher learning institutions,” Mrs. Menda said.
She noted that based on engagements ZANEC has had with students, it is clear that most of them want to have a student parliament that will be represented by higher learning institutions and further serve the needs of students and not individuals.
Mrs. Menda further encouraged students to come up with tangible resolutions in order to make the Student Parliament a reality in Zambia.
“Indeed democracy is taking on board the views of the majority. It is also high time that we will put into practice the outcomes of engagement meetings we have had with you our lecturers and students,” she stated.
Meanwhile, Zambia National Union Students (ZANASU) representative feels coming up with a Student Parliament will paralyze the Union, therefore the need to address loopholes before introducing a new students’ body.
And other students have called for massive awareness on the role of the Student Parliament before it is introduced.
The Orientation meeting was attended by students and lecturers from various Colleges and Universities as well as representatives from the Ministry of Education.