The introduction of free primary education for all children in 2002 has made a significant difference to the lives of children all over Zambia. There are now three and a half million children between the ages of 7 and 15 enrolled in primary education. This amounts to 97 per cent of those of primary school age, up from just 57 per cent in 2004.

While these statistics mark an impressive improvement in the numbers enrolled, and emphasise Zambia’s liklihood of achieving the Millenium Development Goal of universal primary education for all by 2015, regular attendance is still a significant problem, especially in rural areas. The distance a child must travel to school is the single most significant factor influencing their attendance record, their timely entry into grade 1, and indeed, whether they enrol at school at all.

The Zambian school system consists of three levels: primary (grades 1-7), secondary (8-9) and high school (10-12). Basic schools now incorporate primary and secondary level, covering grades 1-9. Pupils are supposed to enrol in grade 1 at age seven, and complete grade 12 by 20, though often there can be an age gap of up to five years between pupils in the same class.

The rapid increase in enrolment has put a huge strain on resources, however. 15,000 new teachers have been employed around the country in the past three years, which has reduced pupil to teacher ratios in many schools, but the employment of extra teachers has also caused difficulties. In 2008, government statistics showed that there was a shortage of more than 6000 staff houses, a figure which has only increased with the additional numbers of staff employed since. In rural areas, staff will not stay if they are not provided with adequate accommodation, and Mr Tembo, head teacher at Chilobwe Basic School in Chipata District, says that this is the single greatest problem facing his school.

“We have twelve teachers employed here, but there are just six houses for staff. The other six are renting small rooms, but it means that they don’t stay and we are often short. Employing teachers is no problem, as the government will supply as many as we need, but we just can’t get them to stay. One of our classes now has 72 pupils to one teacher, because we are short staffed,” he explains.

“We have applied for funding to build more houses time and time again, but because the government are spending all their money on building new schools, there is no surplus for maintaining the ones that are already there.“

Kazimowe School, 5km away from Chilobwe, has a similar teacher shortage, with just four teachers catering for 346 pupils.  A further 3km down the road at Chikando Basic School, 959 pupils are taught by only 12 teachers.  That amounts to a pupil teacher ratio of 80 to one.

“We have the accommodation for staff here, but there is a huge problem with getting them to stay, especially the female teachers who move when they get married,” explains Mr Greewe Mshanga, the school’s head teacher. “We hope to get a few more teachers next year, but if not, we will have to reduce enrolment.”

Mr Tembo, head teacher at Chilobwe Basic School

Chilobwe School receives a grant of one million Kwacha (€155) from the government each year, to cover all costs including maintenance and materials. Tembo says that the school is in desperate need of basic equipment, like desks and chairs. In grade 9, some students are crammed three to a desk made for two children. As these students are aged from 16 to 21, the facilities are clearly inadequate.

Books and writing materials are also in short supply. “Pupils are expected to buy their own books, but most parents can’t afford them. The teachers have to write out whole chapters on the board for the students to copy, which wastes a lot of time.”

Because of such high pupil to teacher ratios and the lack of adequate resources and learning materials, performance in the five core subjects in basic schools countrywide remains low, and Chilobwe School is no exception.

“Unfortunately, many of our students fail their grade 9 exams, which means they are ineligible for high school,” Tembo admits. “I wish this was different, but the classes are just too big for the pupils to get the individual attention they need, especially those who struggle.”

According to the National Assessment on Learning Achievement review carried out by the government in 2006, just 35.2% of grade 5 pupils showed mastery in the nationally defined learning standards of English, and 39% in maths. Children in rural areas perform worse than their urban counterparts.

Drop out rates are also high, especially once pupils have completed their basic primary education up to grade 7. “The boys are sent out to look after cattle or to help out in the fields, while the girls are kept at home to help their mothers to cook and clean. Some parents just don’t recognise the importance of an education, especially once they have completed primary and have learned the basic skills of reading and writing.”

Last year, just over half of all children completed grade 9, while just one in five finished high school (grade 12). At both levels, more boys than girls completed their exams. Completion rates were higher in rural areas than urban, and overall, the Eastern Province scored the lowest in the country.

Tembo is eager to stress, however, that despite the many shortcomings that remain in the education system, there have been huge improvements in recent years.  He has seen a remarkable shift in the attitudes of parents, which he attributes to a growing awareness of the importance of education. “When you go around the villages now, there are very few children who are not going to school. Things have changed a lot since I began teaching here at Chilobwe. I just hope that we will be able to provide these children with the quality of education they deserve in the near future.”