.Phiri

By NAKUBIANA SHABONGO and KASONDE KASONDE –

EDUCATION Minister John Phiri has inaugurated the Kwame Nkrumah and Chalimbana University councils.
Dr Phiri has since directed the two university councils to set up a new strategic framework for the higher learning institutions premised on an excellent record defined vision for the future.
He said successful higher learning institutions needed to exhibit entrepreneurship in the their operations.
It was unfortunate that public higher learning institutions were totally reliant on public financing which was always inadequate.
Dr Phiri said the universities must develop a new vision to address the pertinent factors such as the Curriculum, Human resources Management and development, Entrepreneurship and Financial Management and Controls.
He said the university must strive to ensure that the curriculum is at all times in conformity with the current and projected demands of the education system.
The training and development of teachers who should be equipped with the knowledge and skills to direct and stimulate learning and acquisition of knowledge by the students must be critical factors of success or failure of the education system.
Dr Phiri urged the university councils to ensure it improved early childhood, primary education and education administration adding that the demand for education had become high because of population growth.
Government expected the councils to be responsive, effective and efficient in order to meet the burden of churning out quality teachers.
“The demand for education is high due to the population, I expect you to meet this burden and help improve the sector,” he said.
The minister said that the quality of education was a source of concern as there were average scores in primary level resulting into poor performance.
He noted that some of the contributing factors to poor performance included teacher to pupil ratio, book ratio and inadequate number of teachers that needed to be met.
Dr Phiri wondered who was going to teach in the rural community when all the teachers wanted to work in urban areas.
“As Government we expect the council to be responsible and cater for early childhood education and primary education among various things in the sector,” he said.