Africa-Press – Zambia. British High Commissioner to Zambia Nicholas Woolley says the United Kingdom government is committed to supporting the education sector in Zambia. Mr. Woolley disclosed a 7 million Pounds education funding to build and expand schools across the country.
He said the funding is designed to increase secondary school places through new and extended schools as well as increase the quality of school leadership and teaching in more remote parts of Zambia.
The British High Commissioner said this during the official opening of the Chevening Alumni Association of Zambia Annual General Meeting in Lusaka today.
Mr. Woolley explained that the funding will be delivered through a partnership between the Zambian government, PEAS-a UK schools’ social enterprise who also have a very successful network of schools in Uganda, and the British Council.
He stated that the funding will support 3,800 new school places by building three new schools and four school expansions reaching over 70,000 children over the lifecycle of the schools.
“The schools will be built in areas currently underserved by secondary schools at locations identified in partnership with the government,” he said.
Mr. Woolley noted that the funding will include technical assistance to support education policy and improve access and quality for secondary education.
“I hope this new programme will provide greater opportunities for more Zambians and perhaps enable them to become Chevening Scholars in future.
And Minister of Education Douglas Siakalima commended the British government for their continued support to extending learning opportunities for the Zambian people.
Mr. Siakalima said this has added real value to the country’s growth prospects by capacitating the country’s human capital in various fields such as agriculture, development studies among others.
He said Zambia will continue to rely on the friendship and solidarity shared between the two countries. The minister said this in a speech read on his behalf by the Ministry of General Education Director for University Charles Mulenga.
