THERE is a clear contrast in the administration of higher education between the New Dawn Government and their predecessor, the Patriotic Front (PF) Government.
Within the 18 months of being in government, the New Dawn has proven that it is determined to make higher education better in the country, and President Hakainde Hichilema has consistently indicated how his Government holds education as a critical investment and not as an expense.
The New Dawn Government has devoted its attention and resources to ensuring that the higher education sector is buoyant, and operating at the highest comparable level.
As a result, the Government has also enhanced transparency inclusiveness in handling matters affecting the higher education sector thereby, building dialogue and a collective sense of purpose among stakeholders.
In order to build a stable higher education environment, the New Dawn Government has made it clear that it shall continue to work with the higher education institutions (HEIs) as it holds them as key partners whose wisdom, experience and knowledge is vital in the management of the sector. Clearly, this has seen the relationship between government and the public HEIs become stronger and less frictional.
There is enhanced respect and collaboration between the HEIs and the Government.
This has ended the acrimonious relationship between government and HEIs that existed in the higher education sector. It has ended the tension between the academics, learners and the Government. Consequently, there is a breath of fresh air as the New Dawn Government has brought life to collaboration and mutual support among HEIs and the Government.
Consequently, the Government is enjoying overwhelming support from academics and all line staff in the HEIs. There is a conspicuous cordial relationship between the Government and labour movements in the public HEIs based on mutual respect and shared interest to see a vibrant higher education sector in Zambia.
Further, the government has ably galvanised local and international support by bringing on board the needed financial and technical support from the World Bank, United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund, and the Civil Society.
Suffice to mention that all this is not happening by chance.
It is rather consistent with the United Party for National Development (UPND)’s manifesto that seeks to leverage higher education as the pivot for national development.
The UPND manifesto highlights the need to reform the higher education sector in Zambia in order to be able to produce qualified graduates equipped with relevant skills and competences that would be harnessed to foster technological and socio-economic development.
Similarly, the UPND manifesto highlights the need to enhance access to higher education through targeted interventions in order to boost human capital development in the country.
In moving towards fulfilling its aspirations, below are some milestones recorded by the New Dawn Government in the higher education sector;
1.Students’ meal allowances re-introduced; there is the money that you previously used to see cadres displaying in those unpopular videos on social media platforms.
2.This money is now being used to educate our nation as students’ plight holds centre stage under the New Dawn Government.
3.Bursaries extended to all public colleges to support students pursuing skills courses; the money that was previously being used to fund a few musicians and PF youths to go on vacation in Europe and Dubai is now being used to educate our nation.
4.The New Dawn Government regards skills development to be critical in the advancement of innovation and development.
- Student loans in all public universities; the money that was previously used to sponsor cadres to attack opposition leaders and stop them from appearing on private radio stations is now being used to educate our nation as more students have access to student loans from all public universities.
- New infrastructure development across all public universities and colleges; the money that you previously used to see PF cadres driving expensive cars and building mansions is now being used to create a conducive learning and teaching environment for our students in all public higher education institutions (HEIs).
- Timely grants disbursed across all higher education institutions; the money you previously saw building tarred roads leading to PF officials’ residences a d them building those exaggerated mansions is now being used to support teaching and learning across all public HEIs.
- Robust staff recruitments in public HEIs; that money being recovered from grand corruption prosecution of the PF leadership and their accomplices such as Faith Musonda is being used to ensure that all public HEIs have adequate staffing levels to provide quality training to the learners.
- Timely and consistent salaries to staff in all public HEIs; the stop to grand corruption seen through heavy infrastructure projects by over-indebting the country is now yielding results as the saved money is now being channelled to consistently pay the workers and as such put an end to frequent work boycotts in public HEIs.
8.International acceptability of Zambian students; all the tension that existed in the HEIs affected quality of education.
This saw Zambia’s bachelor’s and master’s degrees downgraded in many European countries and the United States of America.
The available scholarships in some of these countries were also terminated. Nonetheless, the New Dawn Government has settled the tension and the quality standards have noticeably improved.
This has been acknowledged by among others, the restoration of scholarships for Zambian students by the Australian and Dutch Governments.
Therefore, the New Dawn Government has not only ensured that the academic environment is conducive for teaching and learning but also that the standards of education in the country are improved in order to produce quality graduates that would effectively contribute to the much needed national development.
Higher education in Zambia is once again finding its life, after many years of suffocation from the PF government.
In a nutshell, the country has in the New Dawn Government, a partner who is passionately interested in making higher education accessible and improving its standards.
This is the Government that has extended its support from learners to academic staff and management.
It is the Government that has devoted itself to improving the welfare of both learners and staff in the sector.
It is the Government that has found it necessary to readily fund public HEIs in order for them to improve the learning and teaching environment and meet international comparable standards.
The author is a Higher Education Policy and Quality Assurance Expert.
