A Guide to Pupil Sponsorship 2013

All About
Education
in Zambia
www.projectluangwa.org/sponsorship
3
In Zambia Primary or Basic education usually
starts when a child is seven years old; that’s
late compared to children in the western world.
Often a child may begin their schooling even
later and some may miss a year or more due to
the simple fact that their family cannot spare
the money for books or uniform. This can lead
to an enormous range of ages in a single grade
of up to six years or more. Rarely does the age
of a child in a particular grade match that of
children in the same grade in more developed
countries.
Grade 7 and the start of secondary education
Education up to grade 7 is called primary or
basic education and is free. At the end of this
time pupils sit for their Certifi cate of Primary
Education Exam. If they pass this exam they
will be offered a place in grade 8. However,
although they may choose their preferred
school prior to sitting the exam, they will only
be offered a place if their results are good
enough. Each school has its ‘cut off’ point and
usually the more rural or under-developed
the school, the lower their standard level of
acceptance. This is the start of two years Junior
Secondary Education. One problem with this
system is that many of the better equipped
schools - and usually the ones the kids choose
- are far from Mfuwe and this means that the
pupils would have to board and this is beyond
the fi nancial means of most families.
Over the past few years some Basic (Primary)
Schools have been offering classes in grades
8 and 9 and this means that a child may be
able to continue in Junior Secondary Education
at their local school. However the Zambian
Government are phasing out this option.
Experience has shown us that some grade 8
kids from rural areas who attend a distant, and
often urban, boarding school, do not do so well
as others who stay at their local school.
What ha pens at the end of grade 9? - At
the end of Grade 9 pupils take their Certifi cate
of Junior Secondary Education Exam - known
locally as the Grade 9 Exam - and it is the
results of these exams that decide which school
they may attend in Grade 10. This time there is
no choice – the better schools pick the kids with
better results even if the school is many miles
away and the family cannot afford the boarding
fees and transport costs. Pupils who have
achieved good marks but whose families cannot
afford the expense of boarding school may be
able to attend their local secondary school - if