Zambia's Free Education Policy: Opportunities and Challenges Amidst Overcrowded Classrooms

At 7:00 on a chilly winter morning, students at Chanyanya Primary and Secondary School, located over an hour southwest of Zambia's capital, Lusaka, begin their day. Sixteen-year-old Richard Banda arrives early, aware that the school suffers from a desk shortage. "Two days ago, I came late and had to sit on the cold floor," he says, a situation emblematic of the resource challenges following Zambia's introduction of free primary and secondary education.

The school consists of 10 classrooms arranged in a horseshoe shape around a playground, where students raise the Zambian flag each morning amidst clouds of dust from sweeping the classrooms. Since the 2021 government policy of free education, two million more children now attend school, but a lack of infrastructure and resources has led to overcrowding, threatening the quality of education.

Eighteen-year-old Mariana Chirwa, who had dropped out in 2016, is now able to attend school thanks to the free education policy. However, the overcrowding is evident: a classroom that comfortably fits 30 now houses 75 boys and 85 girls. Teacher Cleopatra Zulu recalls when she had just 40 students in 2019, compared to over 100 now. "It's difficult to give individual attention, and even marking becomes a challenge," she explains, noting that the increased class sizes have forced a reduction in the number of subjects taught.

For students like Richard Banda, the shift is noticeable. "When we were fewer, the teacher could repeat lessons if we didn’t understand. Now, there’s no time for that," he says. This is a growing issue across sub-Saharan Africa, where more children are attending school, but learning outcomes remain poor. According to Unicef, 90% of primary students in the region struggle with reading comprehension, and policy makers are now focusing on improving educational quality, teacher recruitment, and infrastructure.

Aaron Chansa, director of Zambia's National Action for Quality Education (NAQEZ), emphasizes the impact of overcrowding. "When learners can’t sit properly, it affects their focus. We’re seeing students reach secondary school without basic reading skills," he warns. In some areas, such as Zambia’s Eastern Province, class sizes exceed 100, further straining resources like textbooks, with six or seven students sharing one book.

The government is aware of these challenges. Education Minister Douglas Syakalima calls overcrowding "a good problem," preferring packed classrooms over children being out of school. He highlights ongoing efforts, such as the mass production of desks and the construction of over 170 new schools. The government has invested over $1 billion in education since introducing free schooling, a much-needed boost following years of declining spending. It has also pledged to hire 55,000 new teachers by 2026, with 37,000 already recruited.

However, this rapid expansion has created new issues. Some teachers in rural areas report living in grass-thatched homes and sharing pit latrines. Teacher Cleopatra Zulu, who lives in the school compound, describes the conditions as dire, especially during the rainy season when the risk of cholera is high.

Families are also feeling the effects of overcrowded schools. Lusaka taxi driver Robert Mwape transferred his son from a private to a public school to benefit from free education but soon regretted the decision. "His results dropped, and when I visited the class, there were too many students. The teacher couldn’t manage them all," Mwape explains. He has since returned his son to a private school.

While some experts question the sustainability of free education, given Zambia’s recent debt struggles, Minister Syakalima remains optimistic. "Education is the best economic policy," he asserts. For many, free schooling is a critical step toward offering young Zambians a brighter future, but the country’s experience highlights the challenges of balancing access and quality in a growing education system.