TEVETA Strengthens Oversight to Ensure Quality Training in Zambia’s Skills Sector

By Francis Maingaila

Lusaka, Zambia24  -- (29-10-2025) - The Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training Authority (TEVETA) has intensified its quality assurance measures to ensure that all training institutions in Zambia comply with established standards aimed at producing competent and industry-ready graduates.

According to Rudo M. Banda of the Training Standards Division, TEVETA’s mandate is to guarantee that all institutions offering technical and vocational education maintain acceptable quality levels in their learning processes, management systems, and training environments.

“Our responsibility is to ensure compliance with the set quality standards in the delivery of technical, vocational, and entrepreneurship training,” Banda said during a presentation on Quality Assurance in TEVET. 

“This includes inspecting institutions, accrediting trainers and assessors, registering training providers, and advising institutions on regulatory compliance.”

Banda emphasized that TEVETA’s quality assurance framework focuses on institutional inspection, registration, accreditation, and continuous professional development for trainers and managers to enhance performance in the sector. 

She said the Authority also promotes entrepreneurship training and provides support services for institutions to continuously improve their systems.

She revealed that TEVET institutions are graded according to their ability to deliver quality training, with Grade One institutions scoring between 75 and 100 percent, reflecting strong management, qualified staff, and adequate facilities. 

Those scoring below 45 percent are considered ungraded and fall short of the minimum standards required for registration.

Currently, Zambia has 484 registered training institutions, with Lusaka Province leading at 187 institutions, followed by Copperbelt with 113, while Muchinga has the fewest with five. 

"Of these, 42.8 percent are privately owned, 31.2 percent are government-run, and 12.2 percent are church-affiliated, with the rest operated by communities, companies, trusts, and NGOs," she said.

Banda stated that registered institutions receive a Certificate of Registration valid for three years, which can be withdrawn if an institution operates contrary to the TEVET Act No. 13 of 1998 and its amendment, or if it ceases to meet minimum training standards.

She outlined several benefits of TEVETA registration, including legal recognition, access to government funding, use of industry-recognized curricula, and awarding of nationally recognized qualifications.

“Quality assurance in TEVET is critical to ensuring that Zambia produces graduates who are capable of contributing meaningfully to both the formal and informal sectors,” Banda said. 

“This is key to achieving sustainable socio-economic development through a skilled and competitive workforce.”

Banda concluded that the consistent enforcement of quality assurance standards remains central to TEVETA’s mission of raising the quality and relevance of technical education in Zambia.