Transparency International Zambia (TI-Z) joins the rest of the African continent in commemorating this year’s edition of Africa Freedom Day, which celebrates the unity and achievements of the African continent, while acknowledging the challenges that lie ahead. This year’s theme – “Educate and skill Africa for the 21st Century: Building resilient education systems for increased access to inclusive, lifelong, quality, and relevant learning in Africa” – emphasizes the critical importance of education and skills development in Africa’s journey towards sustainable development. TI-Z recognizes the pivotal role of education in shaping the future of Africa and stands committed to advocating for transparent and accountable governance in the education sector.
From the 7th to the 11th of May 2024, Zambia hosted the 11th Africa Federation of Teaching Regulatory Authorities (AFTRA), an inter-governmental organization for the regulation of teaching in Africa. This event brought together Ministries of Education, National Teaching Councils, Teacher Unions, Teacher Education Institutions, and international organizations associated with teaching regulation. Revelations from the conference shed light on Sub-Saharan Africa’s significant shortage of qualified teachers, with the region needing to recruit 15 million new teachers to address the global shortage of 44 million primary and secondary school teachers required to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4, aimed at ensuring quality education.
Furthermore, the conference highlighted the alarming practice in some Sub-Saharan African countries where individuals without qualifications are employed as teachers, pointing to the existence of corruption in recruitment processes, and ultimately compromising the quality of education. This indicates the urgent need to prioritize and respect education in Africa to cultivate the brightest minds essential for sustainable development.
Additionally, addressing corruption, which undermines the quality of education, is imperative. This necessity is echoed in Zambia’s recent special audit report by the Auditor General on the external public debt from 2006 to 2022. The audit, conducted in 182 schools from January 2022 to June 2023, identified significant discrepancies in the management of funds allocated for education. Two main areas of concern were highlighted: elements of abuse, and failure to manage funds in line with relevant laws, regulations, and guidelines. Shockingly, a substantial portion of the total school grants, amounting to over ZMW 80 million, was lost due to malpractices. Additionally, just over ZMW 13 million was attributed to elements of abuse, while close to ZMW 63 million was lost due to non-compliance with
financial protocols. These findings emphasize the urgent need for reforms in financial management practices within the education sector.
In reflecting on this year’s Africa Freedom Day theme, the Ministry of Education must therefore come up with decisive measures to address these identified weaknesses and consequently restore public trust in Zambia’s education sector. Immediate cessation of unauthorized fund transfers and adherence to disciplinary procedures are essential steps, while measures must also be implemented to recover misappropriated funds through surcharges and to prevent future occurrences of financial mismanagement. Establishing active school finance committees, maintaining updated financial records, and providing financial management training to stakeholders are crucial for fostering transparency and accountability.
As Africa Freedom Day is commemorated, we should as a country actualize our commitment to building resilient education systems that prioritize transparency, accountability, and equitable access to quality education for all. Only through concerted efforts to address governance challenges both in the education and all other sectors can Africa unlock its full potential and achieve sustainable development for future generations.
As TI-Z, we remain steadfast in supporting initiatives that promote integrity and accountability in the education sector and beyond.
Maurice K. Nyambe
TI-Z Executive Director
