General Education Permanent Secretary for Technical Services, Jobbicks Kalumba says the country has not recorded any incidences of malpractice since examinations started for grades Seven and Nine.

Dr. Kalumba is confident that the trend will continue even for grade Twelve examinations starting next week so that there is no compromise in education standards in the country.

He told ZNBC News in an interview that the government and its key stakeholders have put in place measures to ensure all pupils write examinations in a conducive environment.

AND Dr. Kalumba noted that the year 2020 has been difficult for examination classes and teachers because of the interruptions of classes due to Covid-19.

He however stated that even if there have been cases of Covid-19 among pupils in schools, there is no record of death.

Meanwhile, National Action for Quality Education in Zambia Executive Director Aaron Chansa said his organisation is impressed that there has not been any case of malpractice.

Mr. Chansa said the sector needs to continue building on the clean record scored in the last two years.

Zambia’s Minister of Health and U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires, a.i David Young launched four new Gender-Based Violence (GBV) One-Stop Centers in four districts – Kitwe, Mufulira, Sesheke and Solwezi — yesterday in a virtual event hosted at the Ministry of Health.

These One-Stop Centers provide survivors of GBV with care such as psychosocial support, referrals to shelters, legal services, HIV testing, HIV post-exposure prophylaxis, and linkage to HIV treatment.

Speaking during yesterday’s event, Chargé d’Affaires Young said, “Together with the Zambian government, we have established 28 fully operational One-Stop Centers for comprehensive GBV response and care. We have trained magistrates, police officers, and doctors to improve access to justice for child survivors. We have challenged GBV norms through the widespread implementation of evidence-based programs, and together, we have trained close to 100 chiefs and 340 headmen, induna, and traditional leaders to identify and respond to GBV in their own communities.”

During the event, the Ministry of Health launched new standard operating procedures and Health Management Information System indicators that will help better track and manage GBV cases.

Honorable Minister of Health Dr. Chitalu Chilufya, speaking during the event said, “The documents launched today are a great milestone in this country as GBV services will be tracked at each health facility with data that will inform the nation in terms of policy direction and quality post- gender-based violence service provision due to this standardization process and product we have today.”

Dr. Chilufya said he welcomed the support offered by the American people through the USAID Stop GBV project, which is funded by the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through USAID.

“Your support in developing these standard operating procedures are targeted at complementing Government’s work in creating an enabling environment for gender-based violence prevention, better service delivery through quality post-gender-based violence care for survivors, and better accessibility to justice by the citizens particularly survivors of gender-based violence,” he said.

The USAID Stop GBV program is a five-year, $17 million program implemented by the Zambia Center for Communication Programmes. The program uses community mobilization programs to promote changes in gender norms, strengthen the capacity of local systems to respond to GBV, and support one-stop GBV response care. The goal of the project is to strengthen and expand opportunities for all Zambians, regardless of age or gender, to live lives free of GBV and enjoy healthy, gender-equitable relationships.

The government has deeply condemned the killing of a grade 12 pupil of Lusaka’s Kabulonga Boys Secondary School by suspected pupils from a named school.

National Guidance and Religious Affairs Minister, Godfridah Sumaili laments that what transpired in the incident involving Kabulonga Boys Secondary pupil is unacceptable and should not be tolerated.

ZANIS reports that Reverend Sumaili was speaking when she paid a courtesy call on Northern Province Minister, Bwalya Chungu, in Kasama today.

“We are deeply saddened that the life of a young boy was lost in such a manner, we are appealing to the parents to ensure their children are brought up in a peaceful environment for them to be responsible citizens,” she stated.

She said upholding of Christian values should start from homes where parents are expected to instill good morals in their children.

“Training of children should start from home. Parents have a bigger role to play in the upbringing of children,” She added.

“This should not be condoned in a Christian nation and we shall not accept such conducts,” Rev Sumaili said.

A 17-year old grade 12 pupil was allegedly murdered by a group of pupils from Twin Palm Secondary School in Lusaka.

And Northern Province Minister Chungu Bwalya echoed the need for concerted effort in fighting violence.

The Prisons Care and Counselling Association (PRISCA) has appealed to the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to ensure it conducts an effective voter registration exercise in correctional facilities.

Prisons Care and Counselling Association Executive Director Godfrey Malembeka says ECZ must ensure it registers all inmates eligible to vote in the allocated period of 3 days.

Speaking to ZNBC news in a telephone interview today, Mr. Malembeka said inmates should not be denied an opportunity to exercise their right to vote in the 2021 General election by failing to register them as voters.

He said the Voter registration exercise for inmates was initially supposed to be conducted in a period of 1 week but that it was reduced to 3 days.

Mr. Malembeka also urged the ECZ to run awareness messages on radio and television sensitising inmates about the scheduled voter registration to be conducted in their correctional facilities.

He further said the Department of National Registration and Passports should have had a special programme to issue National Registration Cards to inmates who have lost or are not in possession of NRCs.

Mr. Malembeka said his Association had conducted inspections on 30 correctional facilities in the country and that a lot of inmates were found NOT to be in possession of NRCs.

The Engineering Institution of Zambia (EIZ) says it is considering coming up with standards rates for services its members will be charging across the country.

EIZ Northern Region Chairperson, John Siame said this decision will help its members provide standards rates for services offered to its clients.

Prof. Siame observed that the lack of standards rates is disadvantaging both engineers and their clients as people determine the rates through negotiations.

“What we observed is that our members have various rates and these are determined by clients and of course after negotiations but by coming up with the standards rates it would be easy for professional engineers to charge the fixed rates everywhere and we will avoid either overpayment and underpayment of services” he said.

Prof. Siame who is also a lecturer in the school of Engineering at the Copperbelt University said this during the EIZ public discussion forum in Kasama.

Meanwhile, Prof. Siame has assured its members in Northern Province that the institution is determined to mitigate the challenges they are facing.

He said the institution is aware of the many challenges its members are facing adding that is why it called for the public forum to interact with them to discuss some of the issues.

He has further disclosed that EIZ has embarked on the decentralization of its services stating that this has seen the institution open service centers at some trade schools including Lukashya Trades Training Institute in Kasama.

Meanwhile, EIZ Deputy Registrar and Director of Operations Happy Msumali explained that it is illegal for any person at all levels to practice engineering in Zambia without registering with the institution.

Eng. Msumali has since encouraged all engineers to register with the institution to avoid breaking the laws of the country.

“Under the law it is forbidden for anyone to offer engineering services to clients if they are not registered with us, the penalty for that is too much so we urge everyone to avoid going against the law by registering with the institution” he said.

And a Kasama based contractor, Kennedy Mubita has hailed EIZ for organizing the public discussion forum.

During the meeting, Chambeshi Water Supply and sanitation Managing Director Luckson Simumba gave a presentation of the engineering works his company is undertaking.