Dr. Brilliant Habeenzu, permanent secretary of Zambia's Ministry of Technology and Science.

Zambia’s National STEM Foundation has signed an MoU with the Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training Authority (TEVETA), the Zambia Federation of Employers and the Agricultural Institute of Zambia, to support work-based learning, enhance training program relevance, and boost STEM uptake among young people.

According to Ministry of Technology and Science, the partnerships seek to address skills gaps and mismatches in the country's labour force.

Additionally, the agreement between TEVETA and STEM Foundation presents an opportunity to integrate STEM-based innovations into vocational training, which is part of the country’s seventh National Development Plan (7NDP).

This plan emphasises the development of STEM-competent human resources to achieve national development aspirations.

According to a recent State of Higher Education in Zambia report , 31,221 students were enrolled in STEM fields, including 4.9% in engineering, manufacturing, and construction, 6.5% in natural sciences, mathematics, and statistics, and 4.3% in ICT in 2022.

The report states that STEM fields have continued to yield fewer graduates than other academic fields, which is consistent with 2021 and 2020 trends, only 113 and 473 students, respectively, received degrees in engineering, manufacturing, and construction and ICT from institutions.

The Ministry says STEM is essential for Zambia to benefit from 4IR and will close the skills gap, increase workforce employability, and align training with the evolving needs of industry and businesses.

“As we embrace the fourth industrial revolution and artificial Intelligence, there is an urgent need to enhance the teaching and application of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics across all sectors of the economy, including agriculture,” said Dr. Brilliant Habeenzu, permanent secretary of Zambia's Ministry of Technology and Science.