K173 billion budget unveiled, as Govt targets to recruit 30,000 teachers

Finance minister Situmbeko Musokotwane has unveiled a k173 billion 2022 national budget, the first UPND administration budget following the party’s victory in the august 12,2021 election.

Dr Musokotwane says the budget whose theme is “growth, jobs and taking development closer to the people” is equivalent to 37.1% of GDP.

He says of this amount, revenues and grants are k100.7 billion representing 21.6 percent of GDP.

Dr Musokotwane says gross financing of k72.3 billion which translates to a budget deficit of 6.7 percent of GDP,will be raised from external and domestic sources, including a drawdown on the special drawing rights.

The minister proposes to spend a total of k86.4 billion for general public services translating to 49.9 percent of the total budget, of this amount, k51.3 billion is for external debt service while k27.4 billion will go towards domestic debt service.

He has also proposed to spend a total of k33.7 billion towards the economic affairs function, with k4.9 billion going towards road infrastructure including the continuation of ongoing road projects as well as opening up strategic economic routes.

Dr Musokotwane says to enhance agricultural production, productivity and diversification, a provision of k5.4 billion has been proposed for agricultural inputs to support the one million beneficiaries through the farmer input support programme, which will be implemented via the comprehensive agriculture support program.

He says government’s contribution will be more than doubled to k3,600 per beneficiary from the current k1,700.

The finance minister has proposed to spend k18.1 billion in 2022 on the education sector and k13.9 billion towards the health sector.

And Dr Musokowane has increased the pay as you earn (paye) threshold to k4,500 from k4,000.

Meanwhile government will in 2022 recruitment a record 30,000 teachers and 11,200 health workers, finance minister Situmbeko Musokotwane has announced.

And Dr Musokotwane has announced the abolition of examination, tuition and parents teachers association (PTA) fees in public schools both early childhood and secondary schools effective 2022.

In his 2022 budget speech to parliament today, Dr Musokotwane says the recruitment of 30,000 teachers is the first time in the history of the country.

He adds that the number is more than the total number of teachers recruited in the last 10 years.

Dr Musokotwane says the recruitment of teachers will help improve the quality of education by reducing the pupil-teacher ratios, adding that teachers will be deployed equitably to serve in all districts.

And Dr Musokotwane says following the abolition of the fees for public schools, government will increase grants to public schools to meet the operational cost that were previously financed by the fees.

He adds that grants to primary schools will be increased three-fold in 2022.

Finance minister has further disclosed that a bursary scheme will be introduced for vulnerable pupils in boarding schools with the beneficiaries being determined by the ward committees.

Dr Musokotwane has also announced that 120 secondary schools will be constructed in 2022 across the country through a concessional loan recently acquired from the world bank which is payable over 30-years.

And Dr Musokotwane has announced a record increase of up to k25.7 million constituency development fund (CDF) for 2022 from the current k1.6 million.

He says under the enhanced CDF, certain projects such classrooms, bridges among others that were being undertaken at district level will not be undertaken at constituency level.

Mr. Musokotwane says communities will identity priority projects to undertake.

He has however, warned against abuse of CDF, stating that government will ensure that CDF and other resources are utilized prudently.