Citizens First party slams education system under President Hichilema

Citizens First (CF) party Chairperson for Research and Political Analysis, Professor Leonard Lupiya, has described the current state of Zambia’s education system as a betrayal of the Zambian child.

Lupiya said for years, the country had witnessed a decline masked by statistics of increased enrollment, creating a generation underserved and unprepared.

In a statement issued in Lusaka on Monday, Lupiya said the Citizens First movement, under the leadership of Harry Kalaba, rejected what he termed a failed model.

“We do not see quantity and quality as opposing choices; we see a quality education for every child as the non-negotiable foundation of a prosperous Zambia,” he said.

Lupiya added that the country’s teachers were the pillars of that foundation, yet they had been shamefully neglected.

He stated that the disgraceful pupil-teacher ratios, often exceeding 70:1, were a direct result of poor planning and lack of political will.

Lupiya said the crisis was further compounded by the government’s failure to provide adequate infrastructure, leaving children to learn in overcrowded, dilapidated classrooms, often without basic sanitation.

He added that the CF Party in power would immediately review and restructure the conditions of service for all educators.

According to Lupiya, a Citizens First government would ensure that teacher salaries were not only competitive but also a living wage that meets their basic needs and supports their families.

“This is our top priority. We will couple this with a massive recruitment drive to reduce class sizes and a renewed investment in continuous professional development. A respected teacher is an effective teacher,” Lupiya said.

He also emphasized the need to empower learners with modern infrastructure by declaring a national emergency on educational infrastructure.

Lupiya pledged that the party would launch an ambitious “Schools for Tomorrow” programme to construct and rehabilitate thousands of modern classrooms, equipped with laboratories, libraries, and digital learning centers.

“We will ensure every school has access to clean water and safe sanitation. Every child deserves a conducive environment for learning, not a shack under a tree,” he said.

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