29/10/2021
*AN EXTRACT OF THE 2022 NATIONAL BUDGET ON EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SECURITY*
_Wilfred Musape and Mwalimu Patrick_
29TH OCTOBER, 2021
*A. Introduction*
*02* . Madam, I am a bearer of a message from His Excellency, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia, recommending favourable consideration of the motion that I now lay on the Table.
*11* . Madam Speaker, it is in this context that the theme for the 2022 Budget is: ‘ *Growth, Jobs and Taking Development Closer to the People.’*
*B. Education*
*103* . Madam Speaker, the New Dawn Administration believes that education is the greatest equalizer. Sound education requires teachers. Unfortunately, most of our schools, especially those in rural areas, do not have enough teachers. It is not uncommon to find only *two or three teachers at schools with grades one to seven or even grades one to nine.*
*104* . Madam, despite this limited number of teachers in some schools, there are at least *55,000 young trained teachers* who have not been employed. Some have been waiting for six *years or more post training to be hired.* The New Dawn Administration has found money to recruit teachers and it will always prioritise education.
*105* . Madam Speaker, for the first time in the history of this country, we will *recruit 30,000 teachers in 2022.* This is more than we have hired in the past ten years put together. The recruitment will help reduce the backlog of unemployed teachers. Over the *next five years* , the Government will continue to *hire more teachers* in net terms and the plan is to be current by 2026.
*106.* Madam, these recruitments are aimed at improving the quality of education by reducing the pupil-teacher ratios. The teachers will be *deployed equitably to serve in all districts.*
*107* . Madam Speaker, the Government is aware that in some instances, the shortage of teachers is because some of them do not want to serve in remote places. They join the teaching service mere
