Zambia is a peaceful country with a population of approximately 11 million. The people pride themselves on the absence of war in their home but are struggling with poverty and disease. The complexity of development issues here is discouraging due to the cyclical nature and interconnectedness of the problems. There are positive aspects in this developing country and that would be the native Zambians taking the initiative to better the lives of their people; I have had the great opportunity to work for such an organization. Mulumbo Early Childhood Care and Development Foundation (MECCDF) is an operation that focuses its efforts on orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs) between the ages of 0-8. MECCDF has established 9 centers across the country and a 10th center is currently under construction.
The centers are located in compounds and rural areas where children are generally ignored by educational policies and government; there is a void in the education system where early childhood care should be represented and advocated, this void is where MECCDF is concerned. The mission of MECCDF is to draw attention to the development of children holistically by encouraging the development of all aspects of an individual ; the intellectual, spiritual, physical, ascetical, social, and mental components of the child. MECCDF’s vision is to grant all children without exception a meaningful childhood and acquire a set of values that will sustain into adulthood. Early childhood care and development will result in a generation of youth who will be able to create the necessary paradigm shift that this country so desperately needs, and deserves.
The education system has been full of holes for the past 30 years with no attempt to repair this social net until this year of 2008. The Ministry of Education (MoE) has recently issued the Joint Annual Review (JAR) which was presented over a 3 day conference in the beginning of February. Every sector of the education system was present for the JAR; civil society, donors & stakeholders, teachers, universities & colleges, government officials and the like.
Working at MECCDF I was given the chance to represent civil society along with other non-government organizations (NGOs) and coalitions. Prior to the JAR members of civil society had several meetings discussing the review and made several recommendations to be shared at the conference. I was asked to write the opening speech to be read at the commencement of the JAR for the chair person of the Zambian National Education Coalition (ZANEC) ; ZANEC represents a collection of civil servants on a governmental level.
The fundamental problems with the Zambian education system were obvious and varied only by degree across all bodies present at the conference. To summarize the major issues with the education system presented at the JAR;
1. More attention and planning should be focused on incorporating persons with disabilities in the education system in Zambia. The development of policy regarding children with physical and learning disabilities should be created.
2. The MoE needs to address OVCs as learners and must include these children in the education system. OVCs are at a greater disadvantage and should be receiving greater aid from the MoE. The needs of the child are not presently met and the curriculum should address the needs of every child regardless of socioeconomic class.
3. Increase funding for education to enhance governments accountability for Zambian society, this can be achieved by collaborating with other Ministries in order to met the needs of teachers, students, and communities.
4. There needs to be greater emphasis on skills acquisition in the curriculum to prepare students for the formal and informal work sector.
5. The bulk of children that are the most vulnerable are attending lower basic education facilities which are insufficient. The number of teachers needs to be doubled and classrooms need to be built to allow for increased learning time for lower basic education.
It is my opinion that Zambian society is not being served by the education system. The present curriculum is not relevant to children and communities. Children with disabilities are not incorporated into the education system, there is little motivation for teachers to remain as educators, infrastructure is not suitable for the growing population and there is not enough learning time between teachers and students due to lack of classrooms.
How can a country develop and overcome the obstacles of poverty if their basic educational needs are ignored? A commitment to learning is critical for this country and any country to move forward. We simply cannot work in isolation anymore, a collaboration of nations, governments, communities, and individuals can make a difference. But first we must be educated; we must have the desire to learn about our world and its 6 billion inhabitants.
Let us engage in global awareness and participate in healing the world. Believe in your ability to make a difference and do it. With opportunity comes responsibility; I believe we as North Americans have such opportunities to aid countries in need as well as our own countries by educating ourselves on the issues affecting people all around the world. Together let us move ever forward in the development of our world for all of humanity. Educate and expand your mind in all directions, be the unlimited potential that you are. The great explorer David Livingstone once said;
“All I can add in my solitude, is, may heaven’s rich blessing come down on every one, American, English, Turk, who will help to heal this open sore of the world”.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Saturday, February 2, 2008
A Series of Unfortunate Events: So far away from hope
Lusaka was overrun with street children for the past 7 years, I am told that up until this year it was reaching a critical mass and the government was forced to intervene. There are still hundreds of children living on the streets but the numbers have been reduced and various programs established to absorb the forgotten youth. Its never easy to see poverty and the effects but your tolerance to such images adjusts, you are desensitized to a degree. I encountered the dark face of poverty last week when I found 2 small boys no older than 9 or 10 in the ditch passed out. I first checked their pulse to make sure they were still alive then managed to assist one of them to sit up and try to explain what was wrong with the other child who was unconscious. It was difficult getting any kind of information because the child was incoherent and would loose awareness every 10 minutes. A couple of people tried to help me communicate by speaking with the child in his native language but the efforts proved useless. Someone suggested the kids were probably sniffing glue or gas; a common practice by children living on the streets, to numb hunger, depression, illness, life. This was possible but I felt the children were physically sick and needed medical attention, they were both running high fevers and had small sores around their mouths, they were most definitely hungry and dehydrated, perhaps a combination of other diseases. After 2 hours of waiting for assistance a friend from the UN was able to make the necessary contacts, and the children were taken to a clinic and center for street kids. I was very happy to know they would receive medical attention and thanked my god for not letting one of the children die in my arms. The boys did not seem afraid even though they live a life we only experience in a movie or nightmare; the only time they would cry was when I rubbed their smalls backs and told them I wasn’t leaving and that everything was going to be OK.
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