05/04/2026
The Directorate of Primary Education: Structure and Key Statistics from the Primary Education Provision Guide (2026).
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Compiled and extracted by Sikana Danny Emmanuel and Mazabuka Host.
The 2026 Primary Education Provision Guide (PEPG) outlines a comprehensive framework for the organization and administration of primary education within the Ministry of Education. According to pages 19 and 20 of the document, the structure of the Directorate of Primary Education (DPE) at Headquarters is designed to ensure effective coordination and oversight of the primary sub-sector.
The Guide further proposes the replication of this structure at both provincial and district levels, thereby promoting a decentralized approach to education management. At the provincial level, it is envisaged that each of the ten provinces will be served by one (01) Senior Education Officer (SEO) responsible for primary education. This arrangement results in a total of ten Senior Education Officers nationwide, each tasked with overseeing primary schools within their respective provinces.
At the district level, the structure provides for one (01) Education Officer (EO) per district, specifically assigned to primary education. Given the current administrative demarcation, this translates into a total of 116 Education Officers across the country. This proposed staffing framework underscores the Ministry’s commitment to ensuring that primary education is adequately represented and managed at all administrative levels.
The PEPG, signed by the Permanent Secretaries Dr. Mambwe Kelvin and Ms. Noriana Muneku and endorsed by the Minister of Education, Honorable Douglas Syakalima, emphasizes that the overarching goal is to ensure that “primary education is represented at all levels of the education system.”
Furthermore, the positions within the Directorate are intended to be equivalent in status to those in other directorates, while also addressing the specific functional needs of the primary education sub-sector.
In addition to structural provisions, the 2026 PEPG drawing on data from the 2024 School Statistical Bulletin, presents key statistics that provide insight into the state of primary education in Zambia. In terms of school distribution, Eastern Province records the highest number of Government (GRZ) primary schools at 994, followed closely by Southern Province with 973 schools. However, when Grant-Aided, Community, and Private Schools are included, Southern Province ranks first overall with 1,650 schools, while Eastern Province follows with 1,459.
Conversely, Lusaka Province has the lowest number of GRZ primary schools, totaling 264, with Copperbelt Province ranking second lowest at 516. When all categories of schools are considered, Muchinga Province records the lowest number at 717, followed by Luapula Province with 744 schools. Nationally, the total number of GRZ primary schools stands at 6,957, increasing to 11,464 when all school types are included.
With regard to human resources, Copperbelt Province has the highest number of primary school teachers, totaling 19,734, followed by Southern Province with 16,009 teachers. Muchinga Province records the lowest number of teachers at 6,419. Overall, the country has 116,858 primary school teachers, comprising 47,735 males and 69,123 females, indicating a higher proportion of female teachers in the primary education workforce.
In terms of learner enrolment, the total number of pupils in primary schools across the country stands at 4,489,003, reflecting the extensive scale of the primary education system. The Teacher–Pupil Ratio (TPR) further highlights disparities across provinces. Eastern Province records the highest average TPR at 59:1, followed by Northern Province at 52:1, suggesting relatively higher classroom congestion. In contrast, Copperbelt Province has the lowest TPR at 34:1, indicating comparatively more favorable teaching and learning conditions.
In conclusion, the Primary Education Provision Guide (2026) presents a structured and decentralized framework for the administration of primary education, complemented by statistical evidence that reveals notable regional variations in school distribution, teacher allocation, and classroom conditions. These insights are critical for informing policy decisions aimed at improving equity, access, and quality within the primary education sub-sector.
Attached is the current structure of the directorate of Primary Education at Ministry Headquarters.
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