Prof Mutti

It's election campaign period, but it feels so calm and peaceful.

That's a sign of leadership. That's an indication that there's someone in charge of this sovereign nation.

Many of us seem to take this for granted but it doesn't just happen by chance. It involves a lot of hard work. Today, President HH had a meeting with former defense and security chiefs at State House to tap into their wisdom on how to continue keeping our nation secure and peaceful.

In other countries, noise and tension would have started. And we know a few individuals do not like it that our country is this peaceful because they hate the President and right now are plotting to cause confusion.

Dare not this man. He knows what he is doing. All this consultation is in readiness for your evil plans. You will have yourselves to blame.

God bless our Country 🇿🇲🇿🇲🇿🇲🇿🇲🇿🇲

THE HICHILEMAFICATION OF THE EDUCATION SECTOR IN ZAMBIA

When President Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND government took over leadership in 2021, Zambia’s education sector was in urgent need of rescue. Before, we had a government in place that valued caderism more as a centre for national development than education.

From Primary to tertiary, there was a growing culture of treating education as something only for the elites.

Across the country, thousands of children had abandoned school because their parents could not afford fees. Many classrooms had no desks, schools were overwhelmed by teacher shortages, and infrastructure development had slowed in many communities. For many vulnerable families, education had slowly become a privilege instead of a right.

However, from the moment President Hichilema stepped into office, his administration made a bold decision to place education at the center of national development, believing that no nation can develop without investing in its people.

He then introduced the free education policy. Under President Hichilema’s leadership, government removed school fees in public primary and secondary schools, opening doors for millions of children who had previously been excluded from learning because of poverty.

Today, more than 2.3 million children have returned to school as a direct result of the free education policy. Families that had lost hope suddenly saw their children wearing school uniforms again and walking proudly back into classrooms.

For many parents, especially in rural areas and vulnerable communities, free education became more than just a government policy. It became a symbol of hope, dignity, and equal opportunity. The beauty of the free education policy, is that it doesn't only benefit urban communities, but has reached deep into villages and remote parts of Zambia where poverty had denied many children a future. The President calls it the best equalizer.

Orphans, vulnerable children, and girls who had dropped out due to financial challenges were given a second chance in life. In many communities, school enrolment increased dramatically almost overnight.

One of the most significant and visionary steps taken by the Hichilema administration has been the decision to move towards making free education a protected national commitment through the law.

The Hichilema administration recognized that such a transformative programme should not simply remain a temporary policy that can be changed with political transitions, but should become a permanent guarantee for every Zambian child. President Hichilema has demonstrated long-term commitment to protecting the right to education for future generations.

This move seeks to ensure that the millions of children who have returned to school under the free education policy will continue benefiting for many years to come, regardless of future political changes.

As anyone would predict, the increase in school enrolment also created pressure on schools that already faced shortages of teachers. Understanding this challenge, the Hichilema administration launched one of the largest teacher recruitment exercises in Zambia’s history.

Since taking office, government has recruited over 46,000 teachers across the country, creating employment opportunities for thousands of trained but unemployed graduates while simultaneously improving the quality of this free education in schools.

In rural areas where one teacher previously handled several classes, learners are now benefiting from improved teacher-pupil ratios.

President Hichilema’s government also understood that bringing children back to school without improving infrastructure would create overcrowding and compromise learning. As a result, government has embarked on an aggressive infrastructure development programme across the country, with over 3,500 classroom blocks constructed through CDF, even in places that had long been neglected.

In many areas where pupils once learned under trees or in dilapidated structures, modern classrooms are now standing proudly as symbols of development and progress.

One of the most impressive aspects of the education reforms under President Hichilema has been the deliberate decision to procure locally made desks, creating jobs and demand for vocational and skills training. Today, over 1.8 Million desks have been procured and thousands of Zambians have been sponsored for different vocational and skills training programs.

The expansion of the school feeding programme has equally become one of the most compassionate and impactful reforms introduced under President Hichilema’s leadership.

Government recognized that hunger remains one of the major barriers to education, especially among vulnerable children. Today, millions of learners across Zambia are benefiting from school meals provided through the feeding programme.

For many children, going to school no longer simply means acquiring knowledge. It also means receiving a nutritious meal that improves concentration, attendance, and overall wellbeing. In poor communities, the school feeding programme has become a lifeline that is helping to keep children in school while supporting their health and development.

Beyond access to education, the Hichilema administration has also focused on transforming the quality and relevance of what learners are taught in schools. Through curriculum reforms and the introduction of the new education policy framework, government is modernizing Zambia’s education system to prepare learners for a rapidly changing world.

The new curriculum that has introduced forms, places emphasis on practical skills, innovation, critical thinking, digital literacy, entrepreneurship and competence-based learning. President Hichilema’s vision is clear... Zambia must produce graduates who are not only educated on paper but are capable of competing in the modern economy and contributing meaningfully to national development.

What makes these reforms even more remarkable is the political will and commitment behind them. President Hichilema and the UPND government inherited enormous economic and social challenges, yet they chose to prioritize education because they understood that investing in children is investing in Zambia’s future.

Today, across Zambia, the results of these reforms are visible. Classrooms are fuller, schools are expanding, teachers are being recruited and children who once had no hope are dreaming again. Parents who struggled for years to educate their children are now breathing with relief. Communities that once felt forgotten are now witnessing real development in their schools.

The transformation taking place in Zambia’s education sector under President Hakainde Hichilema is more than just policy implementation. It is a national revival.

Today, many public university students are receiving unprecedented bursaries and allowances that were previously withdrawn by the former regime.

All we can say is, thanks Hakainde Hichilema.