Free education attainable – NAQEZ
PROVISION of free education from primary to Tertiary level is attainable if Government introduces education levy and increase budg-etary allocation to the sector, National Action to Qualify Education in Zambia (NAQEZ) Executive Director Aaron Chansa has said.
Mr Chansa said free education remained a cornerstone of development of a country and could be attainable. “It is difficult to provide free education from budgetary allocation of about 17 per cent, so government should introduce education levy to support the provision of free education,” he said.
Mr Chansa said free education was important because there were a lot people that drop out of school and lower grades and that fail to go to colleges and University due to lack of financial support. He said there was need for government to increase budgetary allocation to about 21 per cent for it to be realised.
Government, he said, should introduce a minimal levy of some selected merchandise so that it could be channelled to the education sector to supplement the budgetary allocation.
Mr Chansa said it was impossible to provide free education with the current economic environment.
“Government should introduce a special levy on some merchandise such as beer or talk time so that it can be channelled toward provisions of free education from grade 1 to University,” Mr Chansa said.
He said a minimal levy of K3 kwacha or less on merchandise such as beer or talk time could go a long way in attaining the provision of free education which will be beneficial to the nation.
Mr Chansa said free education is expensive and can only be attainable if necessary ventures are put in place to support.
PETER SICHALI writes
