Stem Scholarships Open Doors for Zambia’s Talent

The initiative has placed the question of access to higher education at the centre of discussions on Zambia’s future workforce, particularly as technology continues to change the skills required across different sectors of the economy.

Director for University Education Brian Makufele, representing the Permanent Secretary for Educational Services, said private-sector investment in education was essential in complementing Government efforts to expand opportunities for young people.

He said education remained a foundation for sustainable national development because it could transform lives, create opportunities and help reduce poverty.

Makufele said Zambia’s technological transformation had made investment in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) increasingly important as the country prepared young people for emerging opportunities.

He said the country needed a workforce with technological skills, innovation and the ability to respond to changing demands across the economy.

“Zambia needs your ideas, your talents and your creativity,” Makufele said.

The message from Government is that developing the country’s human capital cannot be left to the public education system alone, particularly when the cost of university education continues to place pressure on families.

The partnership with Airtel therefore represents an example of how private companies can contribute resources towards expanding access while universities provide the academic environment in which students develop their skills.

UNZA Vice Chancellor Professor Mundia Muya said the biggest challenge facing many students was not their ability to learn, but the financial burden associated with pursuing higher education.

Prof Muya said the Airtel scholarship would provide continuous support to beneficiaries from their first year until completion of their degrees.

“The greatest challenge for many students is not the curriculum itself, but the financial burden of pursuing higher education. This programme removes that barrier for the beneficiaries,” he said.

The support is expected to ease some of the costs that can force students to interrupt their studies, allowing beneficiaries to concentrate on their academic work and professional development.

Under the programme, students will receive tuition support for up to five years, accommodation, laptops, data connectivity and a monthly student allowance.

They will also receive career development opportunities intended to prepare them for employment and professional development after university.

Prof Muya said targeting STEM was particularly important because the disciplines were linked to some of the country’s major development priorities, including industrialisation, mining, agriculture, healthcare and digital transformation.

He said universities needed stronger relationships with industry so that graduates were equipped with knowledge and skills relevant to the changing needs of the economy.

Prof Muya described the partnership as an example of the “Triple Helix” model, in which Government, industry and academia work together to address national development challenges.

He said the initiative was also consistent with UNZA’s strategic priorities of strengthening STEM training, improving student completion rates, increasing engagement with industry and mobilising resources beyond Government.

Prof Muya further called for deliberate attention to young women when selecting beneficiaries to ensure that they also benefit from opportunities in STEM.

He said UNZA would administer the programme with accountability, with beneficiaries selected on merit and their academic progress monitored throughout their studies.

CBU Vice Chancellor Professor Imasiku Nyambe said the programme was important because financial vulnerability should not be confused with lack of academic ability or ambition.

He said talented students existed in communities across the country, but some lacked the financial means to reach university and complete their studies.

“Financial vulnerability must never be mistaken for lack of ability or ambition. Talent exists in every community, but the opportunity does not always reach every talented young person equally,” Prof Nyambe said.

He said some students were forced to choose between paying university fees and meeting basic needs at home, increasing the risk of deferring or abandoning their studies.

Prof Nyambe said removing such financial barriers could therefore help retain talented young people within the education system and give them the opportunity to acquire professional skills.

He said the benefits of educating a young person extended beyond the individual beneficiary.

“A family is strengthened, a community gets a role model and the nation gets a skilled citizen capable of contributing to its development,” he said.

Prof Nyambe said CBU and UNZA had played an important role in producing professionals, researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs and national leaders.

He said Airtel’s decision to support students at the two public universities had strengthened the relationship between higher education and industry.

While Airtel is known primarily for telecommunications and digital connectivity, Prof Nyambe said the scholarship programme had created another form of connection by linking young people’s potential with educational opportunity.

“Today, however, you have created a more powerful connection—a connection between potential and opportunity, between education and national development, and between corporate success and social responsibility,” he said.

He urged other companies to consider similar investments, saying the challenge of expanding access to higher education could not be addressed by Government and universities alone.

Airtel Zambia Managing Director Hassam Baday said the company would support 50 students over the next five years as part of its effort to respond to the growing demand for digital skills.

He said many young people across Africa were unable to take advantage of opportunities created by the digital economy because they lacked access to quality education and advanced digital skills.

“For us in Zambia, this scholarship is therefore more than a scholarship. It is about ensuring that talented young people are not left behind in the fourth industrial revolution,” Baday said.

He said the fellowship was expected to help produce software developers, cybersecurity experts, data scientists and technology entrepreneurs who could contribute to Zambia’s digital future.

Baday said financial hardship should not prevent talented young people from acquiring skills required for the jobs of the future.

He said the comprehensive support package would allow beneficiaries to focus on their studies while also gaining exposure to career development opportunities.

Baday said Airtel’s investment in education was not new, pointing to more than K12 million invested through the Airtel Africa adoption programme towards construction of five modern school facilities in five districts.

He said the investment had helped improve learning environments while supporting Government’s efforts to expand access to quality education.

Through the fellowship, Baday said Airtel wanted to move beyond providing connectivity and help connect young people to opportunities that could change their lives.

“Through this fellowship, we are not only helping students access university education, but also preparing a new generation of innovators, engineers, scientists and technology leaders who will contribute to Zambia’s social and economic progress,” he said.

He urged eligible students from across the country to apply, saying their background or financial circumstances should not determine their future.

“You may come from a village, a township or a community where very few people have attended university. You may be wondering whether your family condition will allow you to pursue your education,” Baday said.

“Do not allow your condition to determine your future. Don’t let financial challenges convince you that your ambitions are too big. Your background does not define your potential.”

The scholarship programme therefore carries a message beyond the 50 beneficiaries.

For the students, it provides an opportunity to pursue university education without the same level of financial pressure.

For the universities, it strengthens collaboration with industry and provides an opportunity to develop graduates whose skills respond to economic and technological needs.

For the private sector, it demonstrates how corporate investment can be directed towards developing the human capital required to sustain economic transformation.

And for Government, the partnership provides additional support to efforts to expand access to higher education and develop a skilled workforce.

The expectation from the institutions involved is that the beneficiaries will eventually take the knowledge and skills gained at university into workplaces, businesses, research institutions and communities.

The investment, therefore, is being presented not simply as assistance to individual students, but as an investment in the skills, innovation and human capital required for Zambia’s future.

Baday said the ultimate objective was to ensure that young people’s circumstances did not become a permanent barrier to their potential.

“I believe in Zambia, I believe in our young people and I believe that talent, whenever given the right opportunity, can transform lives,” he said.