President Hakainde Hichilema has signed the Education (Amendment) Act, 2026, into law, This is according to Mr. Henry Kapata, media director at Ministry of Information and Media.
This new law makes free education a legal right for every child from early childhood to secondary school in all public schools.
The law now officially supports the free education programme that government introduced in 2022.
According to government records, more than 2.5 million learners entered or returned to public schools between 2022 and 2025. Many of these children came from vulnerable families and rural areas.
In 2025, the Grade 12 national exam results showed a School Certificate pass rate of more than 70 percent the highest ever recorded.
Government says it will continue investing in new classrooms, learning materials and the hiring of more teachers. The goal is to support the growing number of learners and ensure that the quality of education remains high. The new Act also reinforces government’s belief that education is key to national development and equal opportunity for all citizens.
JUST TO UNLOCK YOUR MIND
Parliament has officially turned free education into law after passing the Education (Amendment) Bill of 2026.
Reacting to the development, President Hakainde Hichilema celebrated the milestone on his official Facebook page, posting:
“Yapita! Free education is law.”
President Hichilema has long championed education, making free education one of the key promises in his campaign manifesto over the years.
The President believes that “education is the best equaliser and inheritance,” often stating that access to education is what shaped his own life and success. He has described free education as one of the greatest gifts he can give to the children of Zambia.
By moving free education from a government policy to an Act of Parliament, the President says the goal is to ensure that no future president can easily remove it.
[Brave Heart News | UnlockingMinds]
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