POLICY BRIEF ON UPGRADING OF COMMUNITY SCHOOLS TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Background

has increased from 64% in 1990 to 90.9% in

Education is fundamental for social, economic

2010. However, the report noted concerns on the

and human development therefore massive

quality of education received as well as the

investment is needed in this sector. According to

enrolment and completion rates in secondary

the UNDPs Millennium Development Goals

school.

Progress Report (UNDP/GRZ, 2013) Zambia has

made steady progress on primary school

This policy brief is an attempt to contribute to the

enrolment, which has increased from 80% in

current discussion on governments intention to

1990 to 93.7% in 2010. The report further noted

upgrade community schools to public or fully

that this improvement could be linked to the

funded government schools. It is hoped that this

boost in primary education infrastructure and

policy will aid in realising Zambias goal of

introduction of free education. Similarly, progress

increased equitable access to quality education

has been made in improving school completion

and skills training to enhance human capacity for

rates. The proportion of pupils reaching grade 7

sustainable national development by 2030 as

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proposed in the Sixth National Development Plan

and equity to quality Early Childhood Care,

(GRZ/SNDP, 2011). The Patriotic Front (PF)

Development and Education (ECCDE) and Basic

government has been unequivocal on its

Education (GRZ/SNDP, 2011). The SNDP has

commitment to the upgrading of community

proposed the following strategies to achieve this

schools. In order to increase access to and

objective; strengthening Continuous Professional

improve the quality of basic education, the PF

Development (CPD) for teachers, recruiting and

government has pledged to re-introduce free and

deploying teachers especially in rural areas,

compulsory education for all. The manifesto

promoting participation and improving facilities

further proposes the upgrading of community

for LSEN, creating gender responsive school

schools to fully fledged primary and secondary

environment and improving school management

schools (PF Manifesto, 2011).

through capacity building of school managers.

So far, the government through the Ministry of

The other objective is to expand and improve

Education has indicated that over KR1.5 billion

infrastructure by establishing and rehabilitating

will be spent to upgrade infrastructure in 1,570

infrastructure

community schools in order to prepare them for

improving facilities for LSEN and providing

immediate upgrading (ZANIS, 1/11/2012). The

school furniture and equipment;

in

educational

institutions,

Ministry has also indicated that government has

identified

community

schools

that

require

A case for upgrading community schools

immediate upgrading.

Zambia has over 3,000 community schools,

This policy pronouncement has been welcomed

almost 470,000 children enrolled across the

by members of the public especially those with

country, representing 30% of the increase in

children in community schools as well as by

enrollment in basic schools (grades 1 to 9) that

organizations such as CARE and ROCS that are

Zambia achieved between 2000 and 2006 as it

involved in supporting community schools. This is

sought to meet the second MDG of Achieving

a vital step in fulfilling the governments

Universal

responsibility

Education 2001 and 2007). Community schools

to

ensure

that

every

child

Primary

acquires a quality education. The upgrading of

vulnerable children (OVC), particularly girls and

community schools will be in line with the

children with disabilities, to access education in

intentions expressed in the Sixth National

Zambia. However, community schools are

Development Plan to increase access, efficiency

plagued

many

orphans

of

have

with

assisted

(Ministry

regardless of social and economic status

significantly

Education

challenges

and

including:

inadequate learning and teaching materials and

Benefits of upgrading community schools

equipment; sub-standard or lack of proper infra-

The government should pursue this policy

structure

teachers

because of the benefits that will accrue, both

accommodation, water and sanitation facilities,

immediately and in the long term. The following

and access to roads in some instances) and

are the most important benefits of upgrading

inadequate qualified teachers. To illustrate the

community schools to public schools:

(such

as

classrooms,

point on inadequacy of qualified teachers, a

Improved

infrastructure

such

as

baseline study conducted by CARE Zambia and

classrooms,

ROCS in 11 community schools of Lundazi and

accommodation, recreation space and

Chama Districts revealed that on average, each

water and sanitation facilities;

community school had five (5) teachers mostly

resource

rooms,

staff

Improved learning outcomes as a result

with a grade 12 certificate and that only 30% of

of availability of learning and teaching

the teachers in these schools had received

materials;

specialised or formal teacher training (CARE

Guaranteed financial support in form of

Zambia, 2010).

grants to help meet the running costs of

The situation is compounded by the harsh

schools;

economic conditions in which community schools

exist. Many households in these communities

Deployment of trained teachers resulting

in enhanced quality of education;

that have least access to education are

economically disadvantaged yet they bear the

Increased number of OVCs accessing

quality education;

burden of financially supporting schools in their

The

Parent

Community

Schools

localities given the absence of government

Committees (PCSC) which will be

schools (or the inability to pay PTA fees or

transformed into the PTA will provide

uniforms in order to attend these). Many struggle

support to the upgraded schools;

to meet their financial contributions, so a well

Provision of education at no cost or

planned program for government to take over

minimum cost to the PTA and their

and support these schools would be a huge relief

members;

for many people particularly in the most

vulnerable and excluded communities in the

Upgrading of volunteer teachers;

Equitable distribution of resources to

country.

underprivileged;

Reduction in illiteracy levels especially

among less privileged and in the rural

Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure budget

communities and

for the year 1st January to 31st December 2013.

Enhanced progress towards attainment

There is no direct mention about and allocation of

of MDG 2 (Achieving Universal Primary

funds towards upgrading of community schools.

Education) and MDG 3 (Promoting

However, a lump sum of over KR 595 billion

Gender

(595,151, 533,567) is allocated in the yellow

Equality

and

Empowering

book to the Ministry of Education Science,

Women.

Vocational Training and Early Education under

Issues that need addressing

the Planning and Information Directorate for

Implementation plan and awareness of policy

infrastructure development. The budget also

The intention to upgrade community schools

shows an amount of over KR18 billion (18,

should not be mere rhetoric on the part of the

622,109,149) meant for construction of Basic

government but needs to be followed up with

Schools community mode (GRZ Activity Based

practical steps. Further, little publicity has

Annual Budget, 2013) which is the same amount

accompanied the pronouncement and so most

which was allocated in the previous years

members of the public and existing community

budget, and so does not reflect an adequate

schools are unaware of this policy. For example,

increase to meet the requirements of the

people are not sure whether the government has

governments new policy.

waived the pre-conditions for it to take over

community schools, such as construction of

Funding of schools

teachers

and

other

There is also genuine concern about the capacity

previously

been

of government to adequately support schools

unattainable for many communities due to the

once they are upgraded. The Ministry of

harsh economic realities they face. It is hoped

Education is grappling with many problems to

that with the new government pronouncement,

effectively provide for the current number of

these conditions will not apply and the

schools and the upgrading of community schools

improvement of these schools to bring them up to

will be an added burden. The government must

the desired level will follow after the government

therefore have a specific budget line in the yellow

takes over.

book (for the 2014 budget) for the upgrading

The other issue is that the pronouncement is not

program and for supporting upgraded schools,

infrastructure,

accommodation
which

has

supported by a clearly defined budget line in the

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specifying both government resources and donor

should not remove the spirit of community

funds needed to expedite the process.

ownership of schools but work to strengthen the

PTAs.

Fate of untrained teachers and governance of

schools

Children with special education needs

Another critical issue to take into consideration is

Upgrading of community schools should be

the fate of the untrained volunteer teachers in

supported on condition that practices that

community schools. The majority of these

discriminate against orphans and children with

teachers have been offering their services for a

disabilities

long time and leaving them in the cold would be

infrastructure must also take into account the

unfair. There is anxiety among volunteer

needs of children with special education needs.

teachers about what would happen to them after

This would support the SNDP strategy for

government takes over community schools.

promoting and improving facilities for Learners

However, Minister of Education, Dr Phiri has

with Special Education Needs.

will

be

eliminated.

School

stated that upgrading of community schools will

not negatively affect untrained volunteer teachers

Recommendations to government and donors

because there is a program for them to be

The upgrading of community schools needs to be

upgraded together with the schools (ZANIS,

well coordinated, adequately funded and well

1/11/2012). The policy needs to state clearly how

implemented so as to bring about speedy

and when this will be done, so that these

improvement of infrastructure, efficient delivery of

teachers continue to render services to their

materials and resources. Yet at the same time it

community and the nation at large. This will also

is vital that upgrading will not compromise or

mitigate the current challenge of inadequate

remove the initial aim and vision of community

teachers in schools. Again, it is also worrying that

schools or the level of involvement and

there no budget line in the 2013 national budget

participation of communities in the educational

specifically for upgrading of volunteer teachers in

process.

community schools.

Based on CARE and ROCS experience with

In addition to uncertainly of the fate of untrained

support to over 130 schools in 10 provinces of

volunteer teachers, there is also the issue of

Zambia over the last 10 years, this policy brief

governance of these schools once government

therefore makes a number of recommendations

takes over. The deployment of GRZ teachers

to
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strengthen

this

process.

The

recommendations are also informed in particular

something toward the construction of the schools

by

the

to complement the resources and effort of

Strengthening Community Schools to provide

government. For example, as a result of the

Education

Services

mentoring of the 30 PCSCs in community and

(SCORES) project implemented by CARE

resource mobilisation and long-range action

Zambia in partnership with the Reformed Open

planning by the SCORES project, 88% of the

Community Schools (ROCS) with financial

schools

support from the European Union, from 2010 to

resource mobilisation activities (CARE Zambia,

2013.

Mid-Term Evaluation, 2012).

Capacity building of communities

Involvement of local people in infrastructure

The government, with the help of community

development

based organizations, must engage members of

In developing the school infrastructure, local

the community to secure consensus on the need

people should be engaged as a way of

and

why

economically empowering them and at the same

communities have to support schools. In many

time motivating them to safeguard the school

communities, people do not appreciate the

infrastructure because they will have been part of

importance of education especially for the girl

its development. This approach worked well in

child, which has led in many cases to high rates

SCORES and ROCS supported schools, with

of early marriages. Prior to upgrading of

75% of the schools that managed to mobilize

community schools, capacity building initiatives in

local materials also attracted external resources

form of training for members of communities,

including CDF, DEBS and TEAR funding (CARE

particularly those that are involved in community

Zambia, Mid-Term Evaluation, 2012).

documented
and

importance

best

practices

Other

of

Related

education

from

and

were

conducting

community

and

development committees, should be conducted.

Such training should focus on resource

Government

mobilisation and leadership. This will enable

community schools

communities contribute resources and other

Much as there can be optimism about upgrading

materials to the development and maintenance of

of community schools, this must be looked at

school infrastructure in their localities. This

with realism. The process is likely to be gradual

approach will inculcate a sense of ownership,

because of cost implications therefore in the

since members of the community will contribute

interim,
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the

to

support

government

unupgraded

should

support

community schools which have not yet been

leave

earmarked for upgrading. Some community

infrastructure to government alone, but

schools need building materials to complete the

should also be involved;

infrastructure while others require learning and

teaching

materials.

In

this

regard,

the

the

Government

maintenance

should

of

school

ensure

that

adequate educational materials are

government needs have a proper plan for

provided in all upgraded schools;

upgrading community schools. The plan must

Donors should partner with government

contain appropriate guidelines with specific

to

budget allocation which should include funds for

especially the upgrading of community

maintaining and supporting upgraded and not-yet

schools and

upgraded community schools.

support

the

education

sector

The management model of community

schools must be promoted because the

Training of volunteer teachers

model is inclusive and brings members

The policy of upgrading community schools must

of the community and school authorities

clearly state how the program for training and

closer, and encourages participation of

supporting volunteer teachers will be conducted.

everyone in the running of schools.

Budget allocation for this exercise should be

indicated in the yellow book for 2014 and

This document has been produced with the financial

assistance of the European Union. The contents of this
document are the sole responsibility of CARE International
Zambia and can under no circumstance be regarded as
reflecting the position of the European Union.

subsequent budgets since this process is likely to

take long before it is completed.
Role of government and communities after

For more details contact:

upgrading of community schools

The

Ministry

of

Education

CARE International Zambia

9 Chitemwiko Close, Kabulonga
P.O. Box 36238
Lusaka
Zambia

should

continue monitoring the progress of

upgraded schools to ensure quality;

Government and other organizations

Or

should engage in sustained sensitization

Reformed Open Community Schools (ROCS)

P.O. Box 38255
Olympia Park
Lusaka
Zambia

of communities to encourage them to

send children to school;

Members of the community should not

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