Chief Lunga pleads for teachers’ houses

Chief Nsamba Lunga of the Unga people of Lunga District in Luapula Province has implored government to quickly construct staff houses in order retain teachers in the district.

And Chief Nsamba Lunga has asked the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education,Science,Vocational Training and Early Education to state why Nsamba Secondary School has not be granted the examination centre status despite meeting the requirements.

ZANIS reports that Chief Nsamba Lunga said about 20 teachers at Nsamba Secondary School have no accommodation and are currently squatting at the nearby Nsamba Primary School.

The traditional leader explained said government’s intention to recruit teachers this year will worsen the acute staff accommodation in his chiefdom.

“The deployment of new teachers to the district will worsen staff accommodation especially at Nsamba Secondary School were about 20 teachers have sought accommodation at the nearby school, “he said.

He called on government to quickly construct more staff houses to accommodate old and new teachers in the district.

Chief Nsamba Lunga noted that the construction of more staff houses and classroom blocks will motivate both teachers and pupils in his chiefdom.

“Education is key to transforming the huge potential that our district has hence government should urgently resolve this problem”, he noted.

And Chief Nsamba Lunga has sought clarification from education authorities in Lusaka on why Nsamba Secondary School has not been gazetted as an education centre.

The Chief wondered why the Ministry of Education gazetted Itala and Bwalya Ponda secondary schools as examination centres leaving Nsamba which he said had better infrastructure.

“I’m calling on the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education to also gazette Nsamba as well just like Itala and Bwalya Ponda secondary schools respectively”, he said.

He pointed out that efforts had been made to both Lunga District Education Board Secretary (DEBS)’s Office and that of the Luapula Province Education Office(PEO) but nothing tangible had come out.

“My earnest appeal to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education and his Luapula Province counterpart is to quickly address this matter as soon as possible”, he said.

Lunga District in Luapula Province was created by the late Republican president Michael Sata upon assuming office in 2011.