SYAKALIMA ASKS UK TO SLOWLY CUT EDUCATION FUNDING FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

The Minister of Education, Hon. Douglas Syakalima, has urged the British Government to take a gradual approach when reducing education funding for developing countries. He warned that sudden cuts could harm progress in important learning results.

While speaking at a ministerial roundtable organized by the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group during the World Education Forum, Hon. Syakalima stressed that investing in education is the best way to achieve national development.

He pointed out Zambia’s dedication to education under President Hakainde Hichilema’s leadership, mentioning the growth of the school feeding program from 87 to 106 districts and the introduction of free education, which has allowed over two million children to go to school.

“We were creating a generation of future troublemakers. That’s why the President says every penny we save goes into education,” Hon. Syakalima stated. “The best economic policy is education — first, second, third, and most important.”

He emphasized that soon, almost half of Zambia’s population will be made up of school-aged children, making investment in basic learning a national priority. The minister cautioned that cutting international education support too quickly could create global risks: “A problem anywhere is a problem everywhere.”

The roundtable, which focused on basic learning, gathered education ministers, UK parliament members, and global partners to discuss how the UK can keep supporting education even with tighter budgets.