Richard’s discomfort highlights the challenges of resource scarcity and overcrowding resulting from the provision of free primary and secondary education.
At 07:00 on a chilly winter morning, a group of students arrives at Chanyanya Primary and Secondary School, just over an hour’s drive southwest of Zambia’s capital, Lusaka. Sixteen-year-old Richard Banda explains, “You need to come early to school because there is a shortage of desks. Two days ago, I came late and ended up sitting on the floor—it was so cold.”
The school comprises 10 classrooms arranged in a horseshoe around a playground dotted with acacia trees and plants sprouting from the sandy soil. As the early morning sun casts rays through a cloud of dust stirred up by students sweeping the classrooms, one student sprints to the middle of the playground to raise the Zambian flag just before the bell rings.
These morning rituals are now part of the routine for two million additional children who have been able to attend state-run schools without paying fees since the government made education free in 2021. However, experts warn that overcrowding is now threatening the quality of education, particularly for low-income students.
Mariana Chirwa, 18, who wears the Chanyanya girls’ uniform—a light-blue shirt topped with a tartan bow—shares her story: “I stopped going to school in 2016 when I was in grade four. Without free education, I don’t know how my parents would have managed to take me back to school. They don’t work and just stay at home.”
A poster displaying class sizes in the headteacher’s office illustrates the challenge faced by schools like Chanyanya. In one classroom, 75 boys and 85 girls are crammed into a space meant for only 30 pupils. Teacher Cleopatra Zulu, 33, explains, “When I started in 2019, I had about 40 students, but now it’s over 100 in just one class. We receive new learners every day because of free education. Talking one-on-one is difficult, and even marking is a challenge. We’ve reduced the number of subjects we teach.”
Richard Banda’s experience reflects these challenges. “We don’t learn in the same way as before when we used to pay. There’s a bit of a difference. When we were fewer, the teacher would explain a topic again if you didn’t understand, but now, because we are many, the teacher doesn’t repeat it.”
This increase in learners is seen across sub-Saharan Africa, with more children attending school than ever before, according to UNICEF. However, nine out of ten primary school students in the region still struggle to read and understand simple texts. Policymakers are now focusing on improving education quality, hiring qualified teachers, and enhancing infrastructure and resources.
Aaron Chansa, director of the National Action for Quality Education in Zambia (NAQEZ), notes, “When you don’t sit properly in a classroom, it affects your attention, how you write notes. We see learners entering secondary school unable to read properly. In Eastern Province, we have more than 100 learners in one class, worsening the book-to-pupil ratio. Sometimes, one book is shared by six or seven learners.”
The government acknowledges the challenges created by free education. Education Minister Douglas Syakalima states, “This is a good problem. I’d rather have children in a congested classroom than on the street. The president launched mass production of desks and infrastructure-building.”
Since introducing free education three years ago, Zambia has invested over $1 billion (£784 million) in the sector. The government plans to build over 170 new schools and recruit 55,000 new teachers by the end of 2026, with 37,000 already hired. However, this has led to a shortage of accommodation in rural areas, with some teachers living in grass-thatched houses and sharing pit latrines.
Teacher Cleopatra Zulu recounts, “When it’s the rainy season here, you don’t really want to visit us. The houses we live in are like a death trap. The government should address the housing and toilet issues.”
Concerned about learning outcomes, some families have taken action. Taxi driver Robert Mwape moved his 11-year-old son from a private school to a public one to benefit from free education but soon regretted it. “I noticed [my son’s] results went down. I visited the classroom and saw there were too many students. The teacher couldn’t focus on the entire class.” He has since moved his son back to a private school.
As Zambia emerges from a debt default in 2020, some experts question the sustainability of free education. A 2023 report from the Zambia Institute for Policy Analysis and Research estimates that if all eligible students take up the offer, government expenditure could double, raising concerns about future commitment to the policy. However, Education Minister Syakalima remains confident, stating, “Education is the best economic policy.”
Making school free is seen as a step toward providing young Zambians with a brighter future. However, the country’s experience highlights the challenges of managing a growing student population while maintaining education quality.