EDUCATION Minister Douglas Siakalima says production units in schools need to be strengthened to ensure they are aligned with the goals of the Eighth National Development Plan (8NDP).
Mr Siakalima emphasised the need for high productivity in learning institutions in line with the 8NDP with particular focus on economic growth and job creation.
He said the concept of production units was introduced as a means to generate income in the education sector.
“By revitalising production units, we are providing a plat form for the learners to gain hands-on experience on entrepreneurial activities,” he said. “Zambia’s economic development and job creation heavily depends on the growth of small and medium enterprises SMEs,” he said.
The minister said this in a speech read on his behalf by National Science Centre Director, Benson Banda at the Northern Province robust Commercial Production Units in Schools seminar held in Kasama.
And Northern Province Dean of Head Teachers Remmy Senkelo who spoke on behalf of the teachers, pledged to ensure that production units were viable.
Mr Senkelo said the relaunched production units had come with guidelines which all schools will strive to follow.
“As school managers we will try to ensure that the guidelines are adhered to,” Mr Senkelo said.
Meanwhile, Principal Education Standards Officer Lina Kamanga said the information sharing seminar on production units could not have come at a better time than now.
Ms Kamanga said the District Education Board Secretary’s offices and teachers had leant a number of things among them finding markets to sell their produce from production units.
“The presentations that were made have given each and every one, ideas where to sell products,” she said. ZANIS
