HEA to Focus on Job Creation in 2023
The Higher Education Authority (HEA) is intending on focusing on job creation in 2023 in direct response to the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, urging quasi-government and statutory bodies to do so.
HEA Director-General, Prof. Stephen Simukanga, said this on Monday, 22nd August, 2022, when he gave opening remarks during the Authority’s workshop for the development of its 2023 Annual Workplans and Budget that was being held at Legacy Hotel in Lusaka.
Prof. Simukanga stated that during the interaction that the heads of quasi-government and statutory bodies had with the Republican President, Mr. Hichilema emphasised to all the quasi-government and statutory bodies that job creation was paramount.
“We need to ensure that we create jobs, whether it’s one or two, because if you create one job, you are actually affecting, at least, 10 more people because, as Zambians, we support so many relatives,” Prof. Simukanga said.
The Director-General added that there are about 208 statutory bodies and, as such, if each statutory body created one job, 208 jobs would have been created.
“Therefore, this job creation will affect, at least, 2,080 people, who will be both directly and indirectly benefiting from these jobs created by statutory bodies,” he said.
Prof. Simukanga, thus, emphasised that as HEA develops its 2022 – 2026 Strategic Plan and formulates the budget, job creation should be paramount in line with the emphasis from the New Dawn Government.
“We need to embellish in our budget job creation; how many jobs are we going to create next year?” Professor Simukanga questioned.
The Director-General further noted that HEA’s increased mandate as a result of the Higher Education (Amendment) Act, 2021, has meant that the Authority will need more members of staff to execute the mandate.
“We are now responsible for all colleges, whether nursing or health, including the teacher training colleges, with the only exception being those under TEVETA (Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training Authority),” he said, adding, “now this requires people to go to places as far as Kasama and Kalabo, and it also requires vehicles that are suitable for the terrain.”
Professor Simukanga stated that, therefore, this will require more money and that HEA will continue lobbying the Government of the Republic of Zambia for an increased grant for 2023 to allow for staff recruitment, operation costs and a larger work space to accommodate all these changes.
HEA Corporate Communications Officer, Mr. Birbal Boniface Musoba, facilitates the opening of the workshop. (Image courtesy of Mr. Phiri). 
Mr. Ronald Chulu, HEA Manager – Finance, makes a presentation on the work plan development process on the first day of the workshop. (Image courtesy of Mr. Phiri). 
HEA Senior IT Officer, Mr. Francis Kawesha (Seated), confers on logistics of the workshop on the first day of the workshop with HEA Administrative Officer, Mrs. Annie Zulu Sitali. (Image courtesy of Mr. Phiri). 
Prof. Simukanga shares a light moment with (L-R) the Acting Manager – Programme Accreditation, Mr. Martin Mushumba; Senior Standards and Research Officer, Mr. Denny Nsokolo; and, Mr. Chulu. (Image courtesy of Mr. Phiri). 
HEA Director – Quality Assurance, Dr. Vitalicy Chifwepa, gives a recap of Day 1 of the workshop. (Image courtesy of Mr. Phiri). 
Mr. Chulu (L) and HEA Senior Inspector – Institutional Audits, Mr. Suzyo Soko, share a light moment on Day 2 of the workshop. (Image courtesy of Mr. Phiri). 
(L-R) Dr. Chifwepa, Mr. Chulu and Mr. Musoba share a light moment on Day 2 of the workshop. (Image courtesy of Mr. Phiri).
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