This month on 24th October, Zambia celebrated 56 years of independence. I thought of looking back to the past years by looking at every 10 years from Independence day and see at what stage of my life I was then and any things worth noting.
On 10th October 1974, Zambia celebrated its' 10th Independence anniversary. At the time I was 6 years and doing my grade 1 at Northmead Primary School in Lusaka. Northmead Primary School was one of the top primary schools in Lusaka. The learning environment was very good and the teachers were dedicated to teaching. I did not experience much challenges in being enrolled as my immediate sister did and my other brother and sister did many years later. At that time as it is now not all children eligible to start grade 1 started school. I did all my primary schooling (Grade 1 to 7) at this school. My two sisters (Linda and Catherine) and my brother also attended this school. My dad (Josiah) would drive me to school from Emmasdale where we were staying. My dad was working as a Senior Police officer in the Zambia Police while mum (Betty) was a registered nurse. As a family we attended church at St. Paul's Congregation in Kabwata of the United Church of Zambia. I attended Sunday School regularly at the church.
In 1984, on 24th October, Zambia turned 20. By then I was was 16 years and doing my form four at Kafue Secondary School in Kafue. Kafue Secondary School was one of the best schools in Lusaka Province as well as Zambia. I remember the excitement of passing my form 3 called the Junior Secondary School Leaving Examination (JSSLE). I was among the last groups to do a three junior secondary school and a 2 year senior secondary schooling. I chose the optional subjects of Physics, Chemistry and French. The compulsory subjects were: English Language, Mathematics, History, Biology and I was one of the leaders of the Scripture Union (a Christian organisation for secondary schools that promotes the daily study of the Bible as well as fellowship and evangelism. During the same year our school hosted the National Scripture Union Conference attended by participants from all over Zambia. One of the main speakers was Roger Pearce who had worked for Scripture Union in Zambia in the 1960s. By then I was a Christian, having become a Christian in 1981 in my form 1. During the holidays, I used to attend church at the United Church of Zambia, Trinity congregation.
On 24th October 1994 when Zambia celebrated its 30th anniversary I was working at the David Kaunda Secondary Technical School then as a 26 year old Mathematics teacher. I was staying in Kabwata before I later got accommodated in Prospect Hill an one of the teachers houses at the school. I taught taught Junior Secondary Mathematics, O Level Mathematics and Additional Mathematics to grades 8 to 12.. I did my teaching practice in 1989 at the same school when I was doing my Bachelor of Education with Arts degree at the University of Zambia. David Kaunda Secondary Technical School was one of the best schools in Zambia (and still is) when I taught there. It was a delight to teach learners who were highly motivated and hard working. My other responsibilities at the school were being a Grade teacher, Assistant House parent, patron of Mathematics club and Scripture Union.
When Zambia celebrated it's 40th anniversary on 24th October 2004, I was 36 years old and married to Judith whom I got married to in 1996. At the time I had a young family of 3 children and 1 niece as well as 2 dependants. I was staying in in Libala Stage 2 in Lusaka and attending church at Kabwata Baptist Church. I was working for the Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training Authority (TEVETA) as a Curriculum Developer. The organisation was still young (2 years) having being established after the dissolution of then Department of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (DTVET). I joined TEVETA from the Copperbelt University in Kitwe where I was part-time lecturer in Mathematics, Information Technology and Management Information Systems. At TEVETA I led various teams in curriculum development and review of TEVET curricula. I also conducted capacity building in curriculum development. It was quite an exciting time putting in place systems and working with a new organisation in the early years of the Third Republic.
On 24th October 2014, Zambia turned 50! It was such a big celebration. I did not attend the celebrations in person, my son Sepo who was 11 then attended the celebrations at the Heroes Stadium in Lusaka. At that time I was 46 and staying in Libala Stage 2 in Lusaka and working for the Ministry of Higher Education and Training as a Senior Vocational Education and Training. My job involved policy development of Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training (TEVET) and promotion of TEVET and entrepreneurship development. At the time we had an extra child in the family, Shingisai a girl who was born in 2007.
On 24th October 2020, Zambia celebrated 56 years of independence. The celebrations were low key due to the COVID 19 pandemic. My local and international travels were very limited. The only nation I had been to was South Africa in January. I was still working for the Ministry of Higher Education where I clocked 15 years of service at the Ministry of Higher Education. By the time, my wife had retired from the Zambia Daily Mail where she had worked for over 24 years. My two daughters: Twalumba and Luyando were studying at the Copperbelt University while my son Sepo was doing his grade 12 at Matero Boys Secondary School and Shingisai was in her grade 8 at St Mary's Secondary School along with Goliath at Arakan Boys Secondary School. During this year we sadly lost Eneless aged 36, my sister-in-law who died in May after a very short illness. Eneless had lived with us since she was 7 years old. It was such a sad time for the family. But God has been our strength and comfort. We appreciated the assistance received from friends and the church during our time of sorrow.
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