ZAMBIA: Three new universities, job creation planned

Zambia's newly elected President Michael Sata (pictured) has outlined plans to review the higher education sector as well as establish three new universities, to fulfil his election manifesto. Job creation for higher education graduates would also be prioritised.

Sata, who came to power last month after defeating former president Rupiah Banda, said he also had plans for the establishment of universities and technical colleges in each of the country's nine provinces and intended rehabilitating existing institutions. Staff recruitment would be scaled up to meet demand in these institutions.

In his inaugural speech in parliament Sata, who is the leader of the Patriotic Front, said the majority of those who had voted him to power were young people struggling to find jobs. Job creation in the copper-rich country would be a priority during his presidency, to absorb graduates from colleges and universities.

Sata said the economic growth implied in the recent classification of Zambia as a middle-income country would be meaningless if it had limited impact on poverty reduction among the country's population.

The new government regarded education as key to unlocking human potential, "leading to prosperity and national development", according to the president.

He added that there was a need for a "paradigm shift" in order for the country's graduates to be able to compete at the international level.

In the short term two colleges and a mission would be converted into universities, with 18 months being set as the timeframe for the conversion of the colleges of Palabana and Chalimbana into universities and with Lubwa Mission - the birthplace of the country's founding President Kenneth Kaunda - also being turned into a university.

Sata said one of the universities would be named after Kaunda, who had set a good example not only for Zambia but also for Africa when he had agreed to the peaceful transfer of power in 1991 on being defeated by Frederick Chiluba.

The new president promised that his government would eradicate all forms of discrimination against women and create equal employment opportunities. He also said that information and communication technology would be introduced as early as primary school.

"Our universities and colleges do not only have dilapidated infrastructure but are also faced with a shortage of staff and appropriate teaching and learning materials," said Sata.

The president suggested that the education system needed extensive review.

Sata's bold plans for higher education and other sectors might be difficult to achieve, however. His party failed to secure a majority in parliament, getting 41% of the seats versus the 37% gained by his predecessor's party, the Movement for Multiparty Democracy, and the 19% secured by the United Party for National Development.