Call to intensify illiteracy fight

By ANNIE ZULU THERE is need for government and stakeholders in the education system to redouble efforts at eradicating illiteracy in the country, National Action for quality Education in Zambia (NAQEZ) executive director Aaron Chansa has said.

Mr. Chansa bemoaned the high illiteracy levels in the country, especially in rural areas.

He pointed out poor education standards as a leading factor to the escalating levels of illiteracy that the country had continued to experience.

“Most researches that have been done are evident that our standards are still very poor, our literacy levels are too low. You will find that pupils in the 7th grade especially in rural areas do not know how to read and write, we feel this is not the way to go especially after over 50 years of independence,” Mr. Chansa said.

He said there was need for quality education by investing in the education sector to eradicate the high levels of illiteracy in the country.

He urged government and stakeholders in the education system to increase efforts ensuring that illiteracy levels were reduced. He added that even the teacher -pupil ratio was pathetic.

“In other countries like Namibia, they don’t allow one teacher to teach more than 35 pupils in a classroom, but if you went round in Zambia especially in rural areas, you will find that one teacher is teaching 90 pupils.

“Those are some of the factors leading to high illiteracy levels,” he said.