By ALICE NACHILEMBE
The National Action for Quality Education in Zambia (NAQEZ) has appealed to its members countrywide to hold their fire over the planned protests against the 100% progression of Grade 7s to Grade 8 in 2022.
NAQEZ Executive Director Aaron Chansa has made the appeal after the Minister of Education officially declared 100% progression into Grade 8 of all the candidates who sat for the Grade 7 examinations in 2021.
“Last year, we said in no uncertain terms that NAQEZ will accept 100% progression of Grade 7 candidates into Grade 8. We still do not accept it today, that an exam must pass everyone. It is very wrong, academically suicidal and compromising quality of education. The automatic progression is killing our education system,” he said.
Mr Chansa said NAQEZ will be staging nationwide demonstrations next week after completing formalities with the Inspector General of Police.
He said the planned protests shall be conducted in Lusaka and all the other 9 provincial capitals of Zambia.
“All members and well-wishers of NAQEZ who were geared to immediately protest against the academically dangerous automatic progression into Grade 8 will soon be updated on nationalistic events soon to be held,” he said.
