Govt bemoans low uptake of bursaries under Constituency Development Fund

North-Western Province Local Government Officer, Adrian Zulu, has bemoaned the low uptake of the secondary schools’ bursaries under the expanded Constituency Development Fund (CDF), especially in rural constituencies.

Zulu told Zambia Monitor in Solwezi that while there is overwhelming response under the skills component, some districts were only having as low as 10 pupils being sponsored in secondary schools.

He said the picture was gloomy, saying there was need for stakeholders such as the Church, Civic Leaders and Members of Parliament to go back to the drawing board and sensitize citizens on the availability of the funds.

“There has been very low uptake of the secondary school bursaries under CDF especially in rural constituencies. We do not understand why people are afraid of sending their children to secondary schools. We cannot have a situation where in some districts only about 10 pupils are being sponsored,” Zulu said.

He has advised parents against being skeptical about utilizing the money, insisting that it had been provided for them to utilize.

“However, components of the CDF such as skills development, empowerment and community projects were receiving overwhelming response,” Zulu said.

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