To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 20 June 2008, Official Report, columns 1274-5W, on Zambia: education, how the £22.1 million that his Department contributed to the multi-donor education fund was distributed. (223675)

The multi-donor education fund to which the UK Government contributed under the 2003-07 Ministry of Education Strategic Plan was distributed across three sub sectors: free basic education, high school education, teacher and tertiary education. As illustrated in the following table, the majority of donor pooled resources were allocated to basic education.

This support has resulted in the net enrolment ratio at primary school level increasing from 78 in 2002 to 97 in 2006; and from 9.4 in 2002 to 22.17 in 2006 for grades 10-12 as well as the number of orphans enrolled increasing three-fold from 12,967 in 2002 to 38,262 in 2005.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 20 June 2008, Official Report, columns 1274-5W, on Zambia: education, what programmes are planned to extend the provision of free education in Zambia between 2008 and 2011. (223676)

The Zambian Fifth National Development Plan 2006-10 outlines the priorities to ensure equitable access to education in Zambia. This includes expansion of infrastructure including classrooms and teachers’ houses; teacher education; and curriculum development. Specific discussions between government and development partners to extend free primary education from Grades 1-7 to Grades 8-12 are currently underway. In addition a key priority is to respond effectively to the increased demand for education services following the abolition of charges for Grades 1-7 and improve the quality of education delivered, including infrastructure and teaching staff.

The Department for International Development (DFID) provides financing to the Government of Zambia's budget to support attainment of the goals outlined in the national plan.