Fulfilling the UPND campaign promise of free education , President Hakainde Hichilema has announced that from January 2022 school fees will be abolished for Public schools.
“Did you ever imagine that you will be entering January without worrying about school fees? Yes. January 2022, if you have a child in a public school, you won’t pay anything.
This is what we promised and we have delivered. When we removed fuel subsidies, this is what we intended for our people,” President Hichilema said in a facebook post.
President Hichilema said education is the best equaliser and the UPND government stands by this.In the 2022 budget the UPND government allocated K18.1 billion to education which is 10.4% of the total budget.This is the largest allocation in the last 5 years.
The previous budget allocations to Education are as follows:
2021 -K13.8 billion
2020 -K13.1 billion
2019 – K13.2 billion
2018 -K11.6 billion
Education Minister Douglas Siakalima said that the removal of subsidies is meant to enhance service delivery in sectors such as education that have been receiving inadequate funding in the past.Mr. Siakalima said that it is the intention of the government to increase funding to the social sector but this can only be done when the country has marshaled enough domestic resources.
Gimmicks. The price of fuel and electricity has gone up. So has the cost of living. So if you take these into account majority of households are worse off or remained the same. Substitution of one cost for another is not development.
Adada a Kayiza. Since when did you become an economic analyst? Leave such topics to people who have specialized in those areas because your comment is so laughable.
Kaiser is right for the first time. This was announced in the budget so why mention it again. Oh Nika bye election mu Kabwata?
Politicians are just the same. Campaign gimmicks.
Still trying hard to fool gullible followers…they’re in power but still campaigning on fake promises….everything has become so expensive now….the cost of living is now unbearable….this is why people hate Politicians…..when there’s no elections they’re so pompous and arrogant now trying hard again to fool Zambians
It’s time to fool voters again….everything has become so so expensive now …don’t be fooled
Trying hard to play gullible followers..it’s campaign time so let’s fooool them again kikikikiki Politicians are evil
HH is a serious President, he is delivering. PF promised more money in peoples pockets, after ten years there was none, Zerro
This man thinks he’s still making fake campaign promises, he doesn’t realize that he’s now in charge. Just a few days ago his Minister announced that those learners in boarding schools will pay K1,000 per term or was it per month? People questioned that decision because that wasn’t what he earlier said. This clearly shows that he doesn’t know what he’s doing. He has no plan, he’s the famous CNP. He’s playing to the gallery, may be that’s why he’s imported MMD mercenaries to help him govern. If he doesn’t know what to do he can ask. We’ll assist him at no cost
Did anyone care to read what’s on that board? Anyway shall see in Okutoba.
At least UPND has crudely achieved “more money in your pockets” with this removal of school fees.
” campain gimmicks ”
That’s all the rats from the clique on LT can say………..
You have 10 more years of disappointment of delivery by HEHH……….
Will you cope……????
@8 Future Zed
Yes I did notice kikikikiki…you my man….okutoba 2015
Iwe chi f00lish KZ what about your PF which inherited a robust MMD economy and substituted it with debt,more poverty and downward dynamics?
Enka you are still dreaming about pf and yet your tribal brothers are the ones in charge. When pf won you never heard us constantly blaming Every failure on mmd. With leadership comes responsibility. For once in your smelly lives, can you take responsibility. You are in leadership and yet still acting like ab opposition party. You are all f00Is
Enka@12
If there was a robust MMD economy in 2011, people would not have voted MMD out of power.
What we had was state owned companies sold to foreigners by, you know who, and countless numbers of people rendered jobless and most of them penniless as they got little or no benefits.
We were under a merciless IMF prescription being administered through MMD.
Well, guess what, we are back to the same IMF operating room, only this time administered by upnd.
Enjoy the ride!
Lelo tankala vipuba kamba ka IMF.
Tikuuza useka noseka!
Indeni gone while 3 months in charge.
Fuel prices goes up while 3 months in charge.
Bus fares ho up while 3 months in charge.
Electricity tariffs to go up next year January.
Road taxes to go up next year
More hidden IMF programs unfolding.
Who does this?
Issacher @13 obviously you have a revisionist delusional viewpoint with no facts.Of course HH was not president at the time so why blame him for something outside his purview?Of course we’re back to IMF which means we’ve admitted MMD ouster was a mistake.
This is real ‘more money in people’s pockets’ , not the lies that PF told people about. Well done HH7. Without doubt, even more good news coming. PF are choking with jealous, they now can’t find anything to accuse the New Down about. This is true leadership! Viva New Down!
It’s confusing. The minister announced pupils in boarding schools will pay k1000 as tuition fees. Where is free education in that statement? Maybe someone can explain where I’ve not understood.
Kaizer, should be the last person to open his dirty mouth. You and your Lungu, you used to pocket all the money, what has changed? You stole a lot. Nankwe nankwe, ni Forwardfye, pakubokofye
KZ….Sela…. tubombeko.
IT IS ALL SMOKE AND MIRRORS
Critics will do their job as usual, but the truth is that many people have had challenges funding their education in the country. People who own big cars are the ones affected by the removal of subsidies on fuel. Why should the govt continue subsidising your extravaganza at the expense of education and health for our majority people who cannot afford. This move by the UPND govt is welcome and school goers and parents/guardians will have less hassle worrying about school fees. Channelling money and resources to important issues is cardinal in the development of country hence this move is welcome. Next is improving the learning facilities to better standards so our children can be learning in safe environments and motivate them.
@16
The K1,000 is BOARDING fees at boarding school – to pay for food and accomodation of pupils. This money is kept at the school and spent by the school, it does not go into government coffers. It makes sense that pupils at boarding schools be required to pay it.
Remember that TUITION fee is the cost of the learning itself (classrooms, learning materials and equipment, labour etc..). Expecting nobody to pay boarding fee is not about free education, it is about expecting to also have free food and lodging. Boarding schools are optional, anyways. In this case, I don’t see the break of any promise.
Mlevi Kachasu@18
“Of course we’re back to IMF……..”
Doing exactly the same thing but expecting different results!
All Iam saying is that we have been down this route before and it didn’t work, just like so many other African countries that have implemented the IMF programmes. I end here.
@25
It was supposed to be explained before saying free education?
When you invite your friends for dinner, you say come it’s for free, at the end you say carry with you salt? It is now not free because am now paying for salt?
What about boarding school
On my part and being someone who understands the mechanics of change; that some changes are small, that the small changes become big; that change can be gradual and or radical too, I am giving this new Government time. I mean that I am observing, that I will not be impatient. That I understand the long term negative implications of subsidies having practically lived through them in previous times. I also understand that settling down in a new job takes time. This is because there is need to understand the operating environment, to understand the Systems (including the lack of them), more importantly to review whether the human resource element is fit for purpose, to understand the financial position of the country. Reviewing and regularising all of this takes time.
I also understand…
I also understand that in the past we did not have Zambians with negotiating skills and that many of our people went to important meetings and were ill prepared for them. It is pleasing to note that we now have a pool of Zambians with relevant skills.