Reported by :The Agency Media
Date: 21st May, 2025.
Lusaka, Zambia.
UPND Media Director Mark Simuuwe has responded to the Patriotic Front’s (PF) recent media statement on education, describing it as a deliberate attempt to obscure the visible progress made by the current government in revitalising Zambia’s education sector.
The statement, issued by PF Media Director Edwin Lifwekelo on 21st May, criticised the UPND’s education policies. However, Simuuwe countered that the PF’s assertions reflect political deflection rather than an honest engagement with the facts on the ground.
TURNING POLICY INTO PROGRESS
“While the PF remains stuck in a nostalgic and partisan narrative, the UPND administration is quietly reshaping education delivery in Zambia,” said Simuuwe.
He noted that the UPND government has made significant structural shifts, starting with the successful implementation of free education from early childhood to secondary school levels. The move has driven a historic rise in enrolment, particularly among girls and rural learners, giving practical meaning to education as a basic right rather than a privilege.
“Under PF, students were routinely sent home for failing to pay modest fees. We have reversed that injustice. That is not political rhetoric, it’s policy in action,” he stated.
EXPANDING HUMAN CAPITAL
Simuuwe further highlighted the UPND’s record-setting recruitment of 45,000 teachers—a transformative move that addressed chronic understaffing in schools, many of which had remained empty shells under the previous regime.
“PF boasts about school construction, but what are schools without teachers? We are not just filling vacancies; we’re investing in the nation’s future.”
PRAGMATIC INFRASTRUCTURE STRATEGY
Addressing infrastructure concerns, Simuuwe acknowledged that while PF initiated some school construction projects, many were left incomplete or lacked essential resources. He stressed that the UPND has taken a pragmatic approach: finishing what was abandoned, building where necessary and prioritising functionality and equitable access.
RESTORING INTEGRITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION
On tertiary education, Simuuwe contrasted the PF’s legacy of unpaid academic staff and scrapped meal allowances with the UPND’s restoration of those benefits and improvements in campus conditions. “This administration has brought back stability and dignity to our universities,” he said.
FEEDING PROGRAMME REVIVED, CURRICULUM OVERHAULED
The UPND’s revitalisation of the school feeding programme—now covering all 116 districts—was cited as another milestone. Simuuwe pointed out that proper nutrition improves attendance and learning outcomes, especially in disadvantaged areas.
He also noted the ongoing curriculum reforms, aimed at equipping students with 21st century competencies such as digital literacy, environmental awareness, and entrepreneurship.
ON ACCOUNTABILITY AND CREDIBILITY
Simuuwe criticised the PF for what he termed “selective amnesia,” arguing that the opposition’s current critiques fail to acknowledge their own history of inflated debt, service delivery failures, and policy inertia. “The PF often spoke of intentions, but governance is about implementation—and that’s where they fell short.”
Responding to concerns about the cost of living, he stressed that global economic shocks and inherited debt burdens have created fiscal challenges, but the UPND continues to prioritise human capital investment as the most sustainable route out of poverty.
JUDGE US BY THE EVIDENCE
In closing, Simuuwe urged Zambians to judge the current government not by partisan commentary but by the real changes seen in communities: classrooms staffed with qualified teachers, children receiving meals and families no longer burdened by school fees.
“Where the PF relied on slogans and ceremony, the UPND is building a system that works. And while some may shout from podiums, we choose to lead with results.”
The Agency.