School administrators in Luapula Province and Southern Province have commended government for releasing K324 million for the first quarter of the 2022 School Calendar before public schools open.
In a bid to facilitate the implementation of free education for all learners at early childhood, primary, and secondary education levels, Treasury yesterday released K324 million as operational support fund for public schools.
In an interview with Lusaka Star, Deputy Headteacher at Kabunda Combined School, Patricia Chola said she is confident that the money released for public schools will help her school settle all its bills for the next three months.
I think if our school was to get an estimated amount of over K20, 000, then it is more than enough for us because even the time that pupils used to pay school fees and Parent and Teachers Association (PTA) fees, we never had such big amounts,
Chola said.
If the government continues to give these funds for the entire year, then things can settle in schools.
Meanwhile, Deputy Headteacher at Simunzele Secondary School in Southern Province, Shimabilo Chuma has urged government to distribute the K324 million according to the needs of the public schools.
It is a very good move and I think that it will be good if the money will be distributed to schools according to their needs, he said.
Chuma added that the timely release of government grants to public schools will ensure that schools have basic stationery before learners return to school.
I remember previously, schools used to open with little or no money in the account and it was difficult to start a term because purchasing stuffs such as chalk was a struggle. But now schools will be opening with money which is more what they used to get from pupils for the entire term,
said Chuma.
And our school used to get approximately K15, 000 a term, and by the end of the term, that amount would be finished, but if we get more than K20, 000 or so then it will be very much. The government is doing a very good job and we are behind it.