The Special Education Teachers Union of Zambia (SPETUZ) has expressed concern over the inadequate and meager funding to Special Education schools and special units across the country.
The Union fears that the concept of free education will lose its intention and credibility due to the poor state of funding to special schools and units across the country.
In a statement read on his behalf, SPETUZ Executive President Dr. Frankson Musukwa discloses that the Union noted with serious concern that funding for schools supporting pupils with special needs and disabilities was at crisis point, citing that most special schools and units have received the lowest funding between K5, 000 and K10, 000 which is hard to support the provision of special education.
Dr. Musukwa notes that the picture facing schools supporting children with special educational needs is bleak this quarter as most schools are failing to meet their budgetary obligations which include payment of volunteers, provision of feeding programmes, supporting orphans and vulnerable children, participating in Special Education programmes and activities, purchase of good teaching and learning materials.
The Union has since called on the Ministry of Education to undertake a full review of demand for high-needs funding and secure an immediate increase from the Treasury, noting that without sufficient funding and a more coherent approach, the provision of special education is nothing more than an empty promise from the government.
