This is the second in our series sharing updates from School-to-School Zambia, STS International’s affiliate, on the progress of the Realising Inclusive and Safe Education (RISE) Project — implemented in partnership with Link Education International and funded by the Scottish Government.
The latest newsletter from STS Zambia reflects something that those who work in education know well: lasting change rarely comes from a single intervention. It comes from building connected systems — trained teachers, responsive clinics, coordinated governance, and safe schools — that work together over time.
The newsletter opens with Otrichia, a Grade 6 learner in Kabwe who experiences challenges with fine motor skills. Writing at the pace of her classmates had been a consistent struggle. After RISE conducted teacher training across all public early childhood and primary schools in Kabwe district, her teachers gained the skills to identify her specific needs and develop an Individualized Education Plan with practical accommodations — additional time for written work, adjusted classroom tasks. Otrichia is now participating fully. Her learning challenges have not changed; what changed is the support around her.
That shift — from a student working against her environment to one supported by it — is visible across the newsletter’s other updates as well. RISE engaged trainers from Nkrumah University to build capacity at Kabwe Central Hospital’s Mental Health Clinic, equipping staff with tools for child-centered cognitive assessments. A Provincial Implementation Committee reviewed progress across health and education partnerships, noting improvements in diagnosis and care for children with disabilities at the hospital’s ENT, Eye, Physiotherapy, and Mental Health clinics. A National Steering Committee met to review quarterly achievements and set direction for the months ahead. And a child safeguarding training — developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, the Zambia Police Service, and the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services — reached school leaders and teachers across Kabwe district.
Each of these represents a different layer of the same effort: ensuring that children who have historically been underserved have access to the services, safety, and support they need.
Central Province’s Provincial Education Officer, speaking at a RISE baseline evaluation dissemination meeting, put it plainly: the era of children with disabilities being kept from school is over. The task now is building on that progress with the right structures in place.
STS International is encouraged by what STS Zambia is helping to build — and glad to keep sharing it.
Read the full newsletter from School-to-School Zambia → RISE Project Update: March 2026