Beyond Merely Drafting the Press Release: Inside Government PR and Crisis Communication in Siavonga
Over the past week, Siavonga became more than just a scenic lakeside destination. It became a meeting point for Government communicators from across Zambia, brought together by a shared responsibility that is often unseen, but increasingly critical, protecting public trust through communication.
From Ministries and regulatory bodies to public institutions and agencies, over 40 public relations and communications practitioners gathered for the 2026 Government Public Relations and Crisis Management Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Programme organised by the Zambia Institute of Mass Communication Educational Trust (ZAMCOM).
Representing the Higher Education Authority (HEA), I joined communication professionals from across Government at a time when public communication is evolving faster than ever before.
In today’s digital environment, information moves instantly. A single statement, social media post, delayed response, or misunderstood message can shape public perception within minutes. For institutions charged with public service delivery, communication is no longer simply about publicity, it is about trust, credibility, responsiveness and leadership.
Throughout the training, one message remained constant: communication is now a strategic function of governance.
Sessions on Managing Institutional Reputation, Developing Strategic Messages in Crisis Communication, Social Media Ethics and Public Trust, and Managing Viral Crises in the Digital Age highlighted the growing responsibility communication professionals carry within public institutions.
One of the strongest takeaways from the programme was the importance of preparedness. Crisis communication is no longer only about responding when something goes wrong. Institutions must anticipate risks, understand stakeholder expectations, develop communication plans in advance and respond with clarity, accuracy and empathy.
Officially opening the programme, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Media, Mr. Thabo Kawana, reminded participants that communication professionals are often the first line of defence during moments of uncertainty.
“When we communicate effectively, we protect institutions,” Mr. Kawana said, adding, “When we communicate with integrity, we build trust and when we communicate with purpose, we strengthen our nation.”
For HEA, the lessons from the training are directly relevant to the Authority’s role in regulating higher education, strengthening stakeholder engagement and promoting public confidence in the higher education subsector.
Whether communicating accreditation decisions, public notices, policy directions, institutional engagements, student matters or national higher education developments, strategic communication remains central to ensuring that stakeholders receive timely, accurate and meaningful information.
The programme also created an opportunity for collaboration among Government communicators facing similar challenges in an increasingly fast-moving media environment.
Beyond the presentations and discussions, the interactions between practitioners reflected a growing recognition that communication professionals within public institutions must continue learning, adapting and supporting one another as the information landscape evolves.
And, perhaps that was one of the most important lessons from Siavonga that behind every Government statement, media interview, public notice, institutional response or crisis briefing are communication professionals constantly working to ensure that information remains factual, responsible and in the public interest.
For HEA, continued investment in professional development remains part of strengthening institutional effectiveness under Strategic Objective No. 2 of the HEA Strategic Plan 2022–2026 on Enhancing Stakeholder Engagement. Because in modern governance, communication is not an accessory to public service, it is part of the service itself.
I wish to express sincere appreciation to the Director-General, Professor Kazhila C. Chinsembu, for the opportunity to participate in this important programme. His continued support towards Continuous Professional Development (CPD) within the Corporate Communications Unit reflects HEA’s commitment to building institutional capacity and ensuring that officers are equipped with the skills necessary to communicate effectively in an evolving public information environment.
#HigherEducationZambia #HEAZambia
Commitment to Continuous Learning: The Ministry of Education and its affiliate bodies were strongly represented at the Continuous Professional Development (CPD) workshop.
Captured here are (L-R): Mr. Jeff Banda, Public Relations Officer at the Ministry of Education; Ms. Coretta Soko, Public Relations Officer at the Teaching Council of Zambia (TCZ); and, Mr. Musoba.
————————————————————
📧 Sign up to HEA Mailing List: https://zc.vg/w2f1Z
📲 Join the HEA WhatsApp Channel here:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VasVJip7oQhXnhbaOB2I
📚 Read all HEA News here: https://hea.org.zm/hea-news/
🗳️ Take the National Graduate Survey! https://hea.org.zm/nationalgraduatesurvey/
#NGS2025 #NationalGraduateSurvey
📲 Follow the Higher Education Authority (HEA) on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube (@HEAZambia) and join the conversation using #HEAZambia #HigherEducationZambia.
📌 Higher Education Authority (HEA) │ 2nd Floor, Engineering House │ Stand No. 2374, Kelvin Siwale Road │ P.O. Box 50795, Ridgeway, Lusaka │ +260 976 936 658│ info@hea.org.zm │ www.hea.org.zm
