Training
The school system in Zambia has been greatly
expanded since the country's independence from the UK in
1964. However, the shortcomings are still large and many
students skip studies already in primary school.
At independence, three-quarters of men and almost all
women were illiterate. According to the UN agency Unesco,
just over 71 percent of adults could read and write in
2010. But the differences are large between men and
women. In 2010, over four-fifths of men were literate,
while the proportion of women was six out of ten.
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Allcitypopulation: Offers a list of biggest cities in the state of
Zambia, including the capital city which hosts major colleges and
universities.
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COUNTRYAAH:
Country facts of Zambia, including geography profile, population statistics, and business data.
The seven-year compulsory school is free of charge
and formally compulsory for all children between 7 and
13 years. As a rule, at least nine out of ten children
start school. However, many students, especially in
rural areas, end up already in middle school to start
working and helping with family support instead.
After elementary school follows a two-year and a
three-year voluntary stage. An estimated one quarter of
all girls and just under one third of boys between the
ages of 14 and 19 attend at least some of this
education.
The Zambian schools are facing a number of problems.
There is a lack of good facilities, educated teachers
and teaching materials, not least in the countryside. On
average, each teacher has about 50 students in each
class, sometimes more. Often school benches are missing
and children may sit on the floor - or outdoors if there
is no school building. Several schools are run with the
help of private efforts.
The education at the country's three state
universities in Lusaka, Kitwe and Kabwe are subject to
fees. The number of university students increased
sharply after the turn of the millennium thanks to
better opportunities for student loans. Zambia also has
several technical and vocational schools and private
colleges. Many young Zambians from more affluent
families are getting higher education abroad, especially
in the UK.
FACTS - EDUCATION
Proportion of children starting primary
school
84.1 percent (2017)
Number of pupils per teacher in primary
school
48 (2013)
Reading and writing skills
83.0 percent (2010)
Public expenditure on education as a
percentage of GDP
5.7 percent (2008)
Public expenditure on education as a
percentage of the state budget
5.7 percent (2008)
2016
October
Hichilema in detention
October 5
Opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema is arrested by police and detained on
charges of rioting and for organizing a meeting without permission. Hichilema
dismisses the charges. He is released on bail the next day. (5/10)
September
The government partially appointed
September 15th
President Lungu presents a series of key ministers in his new government:
Harry Kalaba becomes Foreign Minister, Davies Chama Minister of Defense, Steven
Kampyongo Home Minister and Felix Mutati will be responsible for the Ministry of
Finance.
Election appeal is rejected
September 5
With three votes against two, the Constitutional Court rejects the appeal of
the presidential election filed by opposition leader Hichilema, despite no
formal treatment of the case. The protest was filed after a week, but the court
adjourned the case with reference to the fact that UNPD's lawyers constantly
came in with new information until the stipulated time of 14 days expired. (5/9)
August
Private media is silenced
22 August
The Ethernet Media Authority submits the broadcasting license for one of the
country's largest private TV channels and two radio stations that are regarded
as sympathizers to the opposition. They are accused of "#professional" reporting
in connection with the general elections. (22/8)
Many arrested after election protest
August 16th
Southern Province police arrest 150 activists for the opposition party UNPD
who are protesting against the outcome of the presidential election by building
street barricades and burning car tires. (16/8)
Lungu reign
August 15th
The vote counted out over time, causing President Lungu's chief challenger
Hakainde Hichilema to suspect irregularities. Three days after the election, the
Election Commission chief announces that Lungu has been re-elected with 50.35
percent of the vote. Hichilema's camp claims that there is plenty of evidence
that manipulations have taken place and says that the result should be disputed.
In the parliamentary elections, PF retains its majority with 80 seats, an
increase of 20. The UNPD for its part increases by 30 seats to 58. The old
ruling party MMD is raging from 55 seats to just 3, and Zambia has in practice a
two-party system so far. Observers from the EU, US and AU agree with the
assessment that the state media favored PF unilaterally. (15/8)
Five choices at a time
August 11th
After a violent election campaign that demanded the lives of three people,
the general elections become a tranquil event. This time Zambians will keep
track of five ballot papers and nominate president, parliament, mayor and local
parishes. They must also vote yes or no to a statutory supplement. (11/8)
July
Canceled election campaign
July 10
The Election Commission forbids all politicians to campaign for ten days in
the capital, shaken by violent clashes between different political camps. (10/7)
June
Two heads of the country's largest independent newspaper The Post are
arrested a few days after the authorities closed the newspaper, citing that it
would have large tax liabilities. The arrested journalists claim that the tax
debt is a clue to silence the newspaper ahead of the August presidential
election. (28/6)
April
The mass grabbing for crawling
April 19
Lusaka police arrest more than 200 people who participated in riots and
looting of shops owned by Rwandans following rumors that foreigners were behind
a number of ritual murders recently. Two people, who later turned out to be
Zambians, are burned to death. (19/4)
March
New arrest of opposition
21 March
The leader of the opposition party Fourth Revolution, Eric Chanda, is
arrested after in an article accusing President Lungu of going to a club and
playing billiards for tax dollars. The article was printed in May last year.
That the arrest, like that of Mwamba at the beginning of the month, is now
interpreted as an attempt by the government to quell the opposition to the
August presidential election. (21/3)
Opposition politicians are arrested
March 2
The police seize one of the leaders of the opposition party UNPD, Geoffrey
Mwamba. He is accused of training 250 young men with the aim of creating a
private militia force that, according to police, would be used to create unrest
in the country if the party loses the elections in August. He denies the
charges. (2/3)
January
New rules for presidential elections
January 5
President Lungu is signing an addition to the Constitution previously adopted
by Parliament. Among other things, it is stipulated that general elections must
be held on the second Thursday in August every five years. A presidential
candidate must get over 50 percent of the vote in order to be elected, which
means a second round of voting may be needed. Each presidential candidate must
also appoint a candidate for vice president in advance so that precious and
time-consuming new elections can be avoided if the president dies during the
term of office. The constitutional supplement announces this year's election to
August 11. Furthermore, a new constitutional court should be created and given a
position equal to the highest court. (5/1)
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