07/05/2026
Free Education is now law
PARLIAMENT has approved the Education (Amendment) Bill, paving the way for the formal legalisation of the Free Education Policy introduced by the New Dawn administration.
The bill was among several proposed pieces of legislation presented for second reading in the House yesterday.
Its objective is to guarantee education as a right for all citizens, covering early childhood care, development and education through to secondary school level in public institutions.
Minister of Education Douglas Syakalima told the House in a policy statement that although the policy has recorded significant achievements since its introduction in 2021, it has remained largely administrative and not fully anchored in law.
“This has given rise to implementation challenges that cannot be adequately addressed through administrative means alone,” he said.
Mr Syakalima cited challenges such as inconsistencies in enforcement across institutions, continued unlawful charging of fees in some public schools, and the absence of mechanisms to compel compliance and provide redress to affected learners and families.
“In view of these limitations, it has become both necessary and urgent to elevate free education from a policy directive to a legal right, enforceable in law and protected by the full authority of Parliament,” he said.
The minister said the move will ensure sustainability of the gains achieved, provide legal certainty for learners, institutions and administrators, as well as establish clear accountability mechanisms.
Mr Syakalima described the bill as a milestone in Zambia’s education reform agenda.
“Its enactment will legally entrench free education, improve equity across all levels of education, and strengthen protection for the most vulnerable learners in society,” he said.
Mr Syakalima said the bill is a transformative and historic piece of legislation that will ensure that no Zambian child is denied access to education due to financial constraints.
Sunday Chanda supported the bill and commended Government for turning free education into a justiciable right.
“Education is a continuous endeavour, and we must build on the foundations laid by those who came before us,” he said.
Other bills presented for second reading included the Higher Education (Amendment) Bill, Environmental Management (Amendment) Bill, National Heritage Conservation Commission (Amendment) Bill, and National Museums (Amendment) Bill.
Meanwhile, Acting Minister of Finance and National Planning Elvis Nkandu told the House that Government has continued to implement public finance management reforms to improve efficiency, transparency and accountability in revenue collection.
Mr Nkandu said Government, through SMART Zambia Institute, has automated revenue payment systems, particularly via the Government Service Bus.
“A total of 394 services have now been integrated into the Government Service Bus, surpassing the initial target of 380. This milestone has greatly enhanced the efficiency of non-tax revenue collection,” he said.
Mr Nkandu was responding to a motion for the House to adopt the report of the Public Accounts Committee on the Auditor General’s report on the Accounts of the Republic for the financial year ended December 31, 2024, during the Fifth Session of the 13th National Assembly.
The report highlighted some irregularities, including failure to collect government revenue.
