By ZEPCU Communications Specialist
Ministry of Education Permanent Secretary for Educational Services Dr. Kelvin Mambwe has called for greater national investment in early childhood education, describing it as the foundation of Zambia’s future human capital.
Speaking at the official closing of the Mothers and Young Parents Master Training Workshop in Kapiri Mposhi, Dr. Mambwe said the government, with support from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and the World Bank, is implementing the Zambia Enhancing Early Learning (ZEEL) Project to improve access and quality of early learning services in the country.
“Early childhood education is the foundation for future learning,” Dr. Mambwe said. “Our efforts today will determine the quality of Zambia’s human capital tomorrow.”
The workshop, which brought together officers from the Ministry of Education, line ministries, cooperating partners, and stakeholders, aimed to train trainers who will go on to engage local communities—particularly mothers and young parents—in early learning and child development activities.
Dr. Mambwe outlined that the US$39.01 million ZEEL Project targets 45 disadvantaged districts across Zambia’s ten provinces, with plans to construct 440 public Early Childhood Education (ECE) centres and upgrade existing facilities.
“More than 110,000 children aged 3 to 6 years are expected to benefit from this project. We expect enrolment to increase by 30 percent by the time the project ends in December 2026,” He said.
The training covered a wide range of topics, including child health and nutrition, maternal care, disability inclusion, gender-based violence (GBV) prevention, and community mobilisation. It is part of the Ministry’s broader goal through the ZEEL Project to strengthen early learning systems and reduce inequalities in access to education.
“This training equips mothers and young parents with nurturing skills that are essential for national human capital development,” he said.
Dr. Mambwe also hailed President Hakainde Hichilema’s commitment to foundational learning, stating that Zambia was proud to have a Head of State who is championing early education across Africa.
“As the Ministry of Education, we shall endeavour to work hard to ensure that our country becomes a beacon of early learning in Africa,” he stated.
Participants were also urged to make effective use of the learning materials developed by the Ministry, including training manuals, posters, and facilitator guides. Dr. Mambwe emphasized the importance of safeguarding these materials for use in community-level training.
“I urge you to deliver quality training to teachers and community members,” he added.
The workshop was held under the auspices of the ZEEL Project and aligns with the Ministry’s 2021–2026 Strategic Plan that promotes inclusive and quality education for all.
