Minister of Education – Higher Education Authority

“Free Thinking is the Only Way to Pursue the Truth” – Minister of Education

HEA — Wed, 29 Dec 2021 19:27:47 +0000

Minister of Education, Honourable Mr. Douglas Syakalima, MP., has stated that free thinking is the only way to pursue the truth and to add innovations that will help societies.

Mr. Syakalima said this yesterday when he gave the Keynote Address as he officiated the opening of the National Symposium on Academic Freedom which was held at Government Complex in Lusaka from 15^th and 16^th December, 2021.

The Minister of Education stated that revolutions happen because the population is free to think and pursue ideas that better society. He emphasised that there was a need to appreciate the value of research and ensure that opportunities were created for scholars to conduct research freely without undue hindrance.

“Most developed countries have prospered mainly due to their investment in action research in various fields of human endeavour,” Mr. Syakalima said, adding, “therefore, for our country to achieve the desired levels of development, my government believes that we need to encourage home grown research by allowing students and academia to research and disseminate their research findings freely.”

The Honourable Minister stated that it was for this reason that it was important to promote academic freedom in Zambia’s universities and colleges, adding that these Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) needed to be supported to ensure that they use research to generate solutions to the problems and challenges that Zambia was facing.

The National Symposium was organised by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and the Zambia National Education Coalition (ZANEC), in collaboration with the Ministries of Education and Technology and Science, and was held under the theme, “Academic Freedom in Higher Education: Practice and Challenges.”

The Minister of Education pledged that the New Dawn Government stands for inclusive quality education that is accessible by all students in all HEIs.

“We are also aware that quality education can only thrive in universities and colleges when academic work is informed by research,” Mr. Syakalima said, adding, “therefore, academic freedom of our lecturers and students should be respected in both universities and colleges and, as such, as a Government, we would like to call upon university managements, lecturers and students to work together in promoting academic freedom in higher education institutions.”

Mr. Syakalima further stated that even under the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of the Republic of Zambia expects universities to continue with their research in order to find solutions to the pandemic and generate knowledge about mitigating the impact of COVID-19 on education.

“For example, investments in digital technologies for promoting continuity of learning at home must be informed by research if we are to have remote learning solutions that leave no one behind regardless of their abilities, gender and economic status,” he said.

The Honourable Minister emphasised that it was, therefore, important for universities to use research to come up with innovations that will provide practical solutions to the problems that the Zambian people were facing.

The Minister of Education poses for a picture with delegates of the National Symposium, including the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Technology and Science, Dr. Brilliant Habeenzu, and the Director General of the Higher Education Authority, Professor Stephen Simukanga.

Image Focus: Minister of Education meets Heads of Departments, Statutory Bodies and Institutions under the Ministry

HEA — Fri, 01 Oct 2021 07:41:30 +0000

The Honourable Minister of Higher Education being escorted to his car.
Professor Simukanga poses for a picture with the Permanent Secretary – Technical Services in the Ministry of Education, Dr. Kalumba.
Professor Simukanga confers with the CEOs of ZAQA and HELSB before the meeting with the Minister of Education. In the picture with the Director General and the CEOs (L-R): ZAQA Directors of Technical and Corporate Services, Mr. Modest Hamalabbi and Mrs. Mercy M. Ngoma, respectively.
Mrs. Chirwa makes a presentation on HELSB, highlighting the 22,000 students that have been supported by Government financing at the 7 public HEIs during this academic year.
Mr. Mulenga makes a presentation on the Department of University Education.
Mrs. Chiyaba presents on ZAQA.
The Honourable Minister of Education, Mr. Douglas Munsaka Syakalima, MP. (3-R), poses for a picture after a meeting with heads of departments, statutory bodies and institutions under his Ministry. In the image (L-R): Mr. Chabala Musonda, Protocol for the Minister’s Office, Ministry of Education; Mr. Charles Mulenga, Director – University Education, Ministry of Education; Mrs. Miriam Chiyaba, CEO, Zambia Qualifications Authority (ZAQA); Dr. Jobbicks Kalumba, Permanent Secretary – Technical Services, Ministry of Education; Mr. Syakalima; Professor Stephen Simukanga, Director General, Higher Education Authority (HEA); and, Mrs. Ireen Nayame Chirwa, CEO, Higher Education Loans & Scholarships Board (HELSB). Back line (L-R): Mr. Kapulo Musonda, Director Human Resources and Administration at the Ministry; and, Mr. Sydney Nalube, Assistant Director, National Science Centre.
Mrs. Prisca C. Simukonda, Director Standards and Curriculum under the Ministry, presents to the meeting on her department.
Ms. Malalu M. Mulundika, Director School Health and Nutrition in the Ministry highlights in her presentation the 59 districts in Zambia that are supported by the 1 meal for primary school education. She also highlighted the WASH sanitisation programme in schools.
Mr. Sidney Nalube, Assistant Director for the National Science Centre, presents on the concept of the Centre, which was transformed into what it is today from a department in 2017. This transformation was spearheaded by Prof. Simukanga.
Mr. Nicolas Chipenya, Director Planning and Information in the Ministry, presents how his department coordinates the activities of all the departments.
Mr. Smith Bweupe, the Assistant Director in the Directorate of Open and Distance Education, who was standing in for the Director, explains how his department helps those who failed out of Grades 7 and 9 access self-learning materials to learn. He also presented that his department is in charge of night school and education broadcast services.
Mr. Ignatius Daka, Director Human Resources and Administration, presents about how his department is the largest in the public sector, looking after 200,000 employees, with a 100,000 of them being teachers. He added that his department is the secretariat to the Teaching Services Commission.
Mr. Fredrick Katulwende, Director of Financial Management and Accounting in the Ministry, presents to the meeting.
Mrs. Elizabeth N. Lusambo, Director Internal Audit, presents on how her department provides advise to various provincial educational areas, anywhere where funds under the Ministry are being used. The department is important for the oversight role that it performs.
Dr. Kalumba poses for a photo with Mrs. Elizabeth N. Hamvumba, HEA Manager – Programme Accreditation.
Dr. Kalumba and Mrs. Hamvumba pose for a photo with Mrs. Ngoma.

Images taken and compiled by Mr. Birbal Boniface Musoba, Corporate Communications Officer, Higher Education Authority (HEA), on 29^th September, 2021.

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“Be Professional and Ethical” – Minister of Education Charges

HEA — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 10:19:59 +0000

The Minister of Education, Honourable Mr. Douglas Munsaka Syakalima, MP., has charged the departments, statutory bodies and institutions under the Ministry of Education to be professional and ethical in executing their duties.

The Honourable Minister said this when he addressed the heads of departments, statutory bodies and institutions under the Ministry of Education at a meeting designed to familiarise him with all the departments, statutory bodies and institutions under his charge.

The Minister of Education stated that the intertwined nature of the institutions that have been brought together under the new Ministry calls for more collaborative and concerted efforts by each department, statutory body and institution in order to enrich the education sector for the easier execution of the tasks that lay ahead.

“I want you all to make sure that we do what we are required to do in a professional and ethical manner, that way our combined efforts towards wanting Zambia to be where it is supposed to be will be achieved,” he said.

Mr. Syakalima acknowledged further the amalgamation of the Ministries of Higher and General Education by stating that despite the tasks that lay before the Ministry of Education being now huge, the human capital of the combined departments, statutory bodies and institutions under the Ministry of Education were equal to the task.

“The task ahead of us is huge. However, it is not bigger than a human being because human beings are the ones that created these tasks,” the Minister of Education said, continuing, “so we shall achieve those tasks because we are the ones who created them.”

The Honourable Minister further stated that achieving the task that lay ahead would be made easier as the departments, statutory bodies and institutions that were under the former Ministries of Higher and General Education seamlessly feed into each other and, as such, that will foster collaboration for the combined good of the education sector.

Hon. Mr. Syakalima, MP.

The Minister of Education expressed his great delight in meeting the heads of departments, statutory bodies and institutions under the Ministry.

“I am very happy to meet you (all) and I can see (from your presentations) that we are not far from what we were expecting, the reason why we called all of you together,” he said.

The meeting, which was held last week at the National Science Centre in Kabulonga, Lusaka, included the departments of University Education, Human Resources and Administration, Standards and Curriculum, Planning and Information, Open and Distance Education, School Health and Nutrition, Financial Management and Accounting, and Internal Audit.

Further, statutory bodies included the Higher Education Authority (HEA), Zambia Qualifications Authority (ZAQA) and Higher Education Loans & Scholarships Board (HELSB), whilst institutions included the hosts, the National Science Centre.

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