Zambia Barometer 2013: Chapter 3 Education and training

Key points

• Zambia has an SGDI score of 96%, which is based on empirical data. In comparison the CSC which gauges citizen’s perceptions is much lower at 73%. The CSC takes into consideration qualitative nuances that are not necessarily captured by the SGDI such as gender violence in schools and quality of education among other factors.
• Both women and men scored their government 73%, showing an increasingly positive perception among citizens.
• Zambia has almost reached gender parity in primary level enrolment; 49% girls and 51 % boys.
• The country has free universal basic education for all children.
• There are higher proportions of women (52%) than men (48%) at tertiary level.
• The draft Constitution of 2012 has incorporated education in the Bill of Rights.
• Government has enacted stiffer measures for defilement, forced and early marriages and sexual offences for school girls punishable by 15 years up to life imprisonment.
• Gender is strongly reflected in the 2011 Zambia Education Act but much more needs to be done to address the issue of early and forced marriages among teenagers leading to an increase in the dropout rates among girls.

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