ECE ENROLLMENTS RECORD INCREASE
Enrollment in Early Childhood Education (ECE) has seen a remarkable increase from about 336,000 in 2021 to over 651,000 in 2024.
This growth has been attributed to Government’s introduction of the free education policy.
Mr. Charm Kalimbika, the Director of Early Childhood Education, in the Ministry of Education has pointed out that the policy has not only boosted enrollment but also led to the establishment of ECE centers in government primary schools.
“Currently, out of the 11,464 Government Primary schools in the country, 6,590 have introduced ECE centers.” Mr. Kalimbika said.
Speaking on the EduTalkZone, a Ministry of Education information dissemination talk show, Mr. Kalimbika said in 2021, the ECE enrollment was 336,434, and by 2024, it had risen to 651,791.
“This clearly indicates that the introduction of free education has encouraged parents and guardians to enroll their children in ECE,” The Ministry of Education Director of ECE said.
This dramatic rise in enrollment reflects the positive impact of the free education policy, making early childhood education more accessible to families across the country.
Meanwhile the Ministry of Education is constructing 460 ECE Hub centers across the country.
Of these, 440 are being built through the Zambia Enhancing Early Learning project, funded by the Global Partnership for Education, while the Zambian government is directly funding 20 centers.
The 440 centers include 110 Hub Centers and 330 Satellite Centers, specifically designed for children from birth to around 5 years old.
Mr. Kalimbika explained that the ECE Hub Centers are constructed at Zonal Schools while Satellite Centers are constructed at a radius of 5 Kilometres from the ECE Hub Centers.