Zambia calls for renewal of educational agreements with Egypt

Zambia has called for the revision and operation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on scholarships with Egypt.

Zambia’s Ambassador to Egypt, Toply Lubaya, stated that this was in a bid to enhance educational cooperation between the two countries, citing the expiration of existing agreements.

Lubaya made the call during a briefing to Dr. John Machayi, Chief Executive Officer of the Higher Education Loans and Scholarships Board (HELSB) and Board Member, Leonard Mwanza, in Alexandria, Egypt on Monday.

The Ambassador highlighted that the last Egypt-Zambia Joint Permanent Commission (JPC) occurred in 2010, resulting in various MoUs being signed between the two nations.

This is according to a statement issued in Lusaka on Tuesday by HELSB Senior Corporate Communications Officer, Chiselwa Kawanda.

“The bilateral relations between Zambia and Egypt, established in 1964, underscore a shared commitment to fostering educational ties,” he stated.

Lubaya said currently, 40 Zambian students were enrolled in Egyptian institutions, including Cairo University and Alexandria University.

He noted that these were pursuing studies in medicine, engineering, pharmaceutical sciences, agriculture and commerce.

Meanwhile, Machayi affirmed his commitment to expediting the renewal of the MoU, emphasizing the need to enhance the quality of scholarships for Zambian students.

He promised to maintain educational standards during the revision process, prioritizing the improvement of scholarship programmes.

Additionally, Mwanza stressed the Board’s interest in structuring scholarship programmes that aligned with Zambia’s developmental needs.

He also emphasized the importance of sponsored students contributing meaningfully upon their return.

Machayi is currently in Egypt at the invitation of the Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology to discuss possible scholarship oppotunites and cooperation between the two institutions.

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