CONSTRUCTION OF ECE HUBS TAKING SHAPE.
The Ministry of Education is constructing over 460 Early Childhood Education (ECE) centers nationwide.
Education Minister, Hon. Douglas Syakalima, has said that the centers are being built with funding from the Zambian government and financial contributions from cooperating partners.
440 ECE out of 460 are part of the Zambia Enhancing Early Learning (ZEEL) project, which is supported by the Global Partnership for Education, while the remaining 20 centers are directly funded by the government.
“The 440 centers include 110 Hub Centers and 330 Satellite Centers, designed to cater to children from birth to six years old,” explained Hon. Syakalima.
Additionally, Director of Early Childhood Education at the Ministry of Education, Mr. Charm Kalimbika, added that the ECE Hub Centers represent a significant advancement for the education sector.
With the 2023 education curriculum prioritizing early childhood education, the government expects that the construction of the centers will add over 8,000 new ECE classroom spaces.
Meanwhile, Eng. Mweene Habbanti, Director of the Zambia Education Projects Implementation Unit, highlighted that the centers are being distributed across all 10 provinces to ensure that there are accessible to communities nationwide.
Ms. Lillian Haangoma, Monze District Education Board Secretary, described the ECE centers as a critical milestone in the nation’s educational development.