THE Copperbelt is in need of more than 29,000 desks to meet the Government’s requirement of no pupil sitting on the floor by the end of next year, Provincial Education Officer Stephen Chishiko has said.
President Hakainde Hichilema has reiterated that he does not want to see any school-going child sitting on the floor by the end of next year.
Dr Chishiko said his office had, therefore, given itself a target and commitment to ensure that by June next year, the required number of desks was attained.
Speaking in an interview in Kitwe this week, he said a total of K500,000 had been released for the province through the Ministry of Education to go towards the procurement of desks.
He said the province needed more than 29,000 desks to cushion the deficit and also ensure that no pupil sat on the floor as per Government’s demand.
“Copperbelt needs a total of more than 29,000 desks in order to meet the 2023 demand by government of not wanting to see any pupil sitting on the floor by the end of the year, we are committed and have given ourselves a target to attain this by June next year. Our aspirations is to see to it that by the time we will be reaching December next year, all schools will have the required number of desks,” he said.
Dr Chishiko said his office had met with head-teachers to strategise and ensure that the required number of desks was met.
He said apart from the money that had been released by the Government, his office was working closely with all local councils through their Ward Development Committee (WDC) to access the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to help with the rehabilitation of desks.
He said that so far in the first quarter, about 830 desks had been made available and by January next year, he would be able to give an update on how many more desks had been made available.
