The average rural student in Zambia has long lacked access to the same quality of education as his or her urban peers. Rural schools often have larger class sizes than urban ones and often lack necessary teaching materials.

At Kasinsi community school, pupils learn in grass-thatched classrooms built using reeds and mud poles and teachers write on a ragged black board. The school, situated in the remote part of Mulobezi district in western Zambia has a library but no books and three teachers who teach 162 pupils.

District Education Board Secretary for Mulobezi, Keith Inambao says his office has been talking to the local council to consider using the Community Development Fund (CDF) to build permanent classrooms.

“We have engaged the Council and we hope that very soon, they will build a one by three classroom block,” said Inambao. “The Council has already provided 36 iron sheets.”

He said it is difficult for government to send more teachers to the school due to the area's remoteness. He said some teachers have run away from some schools for fear of witchcraft.

A teacher's house