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The Ministry of Education has reiterated its commitment to ensuring equitable, inclusive, and quality lifelong education that met individual, national, and global needs.
Ministry Permanent Secretary in charge of Educational Services, Dr. Kelvin Mambwe, said the vision was embedded in the National Curriculum, which equipped learners with knowledge, skills, and competencies while instilling values, morals, and principles.
In a statement issued in Lusaka on Monday, Mambwe explained that schools were designed as environments where holistic education was nurtured, extending beyond classroom instruction to shape responsible citizens.
He emphasized that time management was a critical value fostered in schools, and that punctuality was a non-negotiable expectation.
“It reflects discipline, responsibility, respect and consideration for others. Schools are orderly institutions governed by rules, regulations and codes of conduct aligned with Ministry guidelines,” Mambwe said.
Dr. Mambwe said that to uphold standards, penalties were prescribed for learners who failed to comply, with late coming recognized as an offence. He stressed that disciplinary measures should never interfere with learning time.
“Sending learners home for any offence committed contravenes this directive as it denies them an opportunity to learn,” he said.
While late coming is punishable, Mambwe said schools should focus on corrective measures that encouraged reflection and learning from the offence. He reaffirmed that corporal punishment remained abolished and strictly prohibited, with teachers guided to apply constructive disciplinary approaches that reinforced values and personal growth.
“Parents and guardians play a vital role in supporting learners by ensuring that they report on time. Guidance at home is essential in cultivating punctuality and responsibility among children,” he stated.
However, Jackson Silavwe criticized current public-school policies, claiming discipline had declined due to policies that prioritized appeasing learners over instilling values.
Silavwe highlighted that social media platforms, especially TikTok, were awash with videos of learners misbehaving in classrooms and around school premises, often receiving applause from peers. He argued this reflected a deteriorating education system.
“We live in a society that has serious issues with timekeeping, be it state or private events; lateness is common. We have even coined a term ‘Zambian time’ to justify this abnormality,” Silavwe said.
He further contended that teachers were increasingly powerless in the face of undisciplined learners, exacerbated by the “strange education policies” that limit authority in classrooms.
“It is a major abnormality to educate an indiscipline young generation and expect apex productivity, patriotism or national development from them,” Silavwe said.
“As a nation, we are failing the future of our society, our children, and we get shocked when they behave in a manner not consistent with our values,” he added.
Silavwe called on the government to reverse what he described as a misguided late-coming policy before it further accelerated the decline of the school system.
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