Governance data in Africa has never been this important. Policymakers, researchers and governments are more interested in generating and using sound data to measure Sustainable Development Goals’ progress. The 2023 Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG) report underscores the need to focus on data to drive progress, assess government performance, set policy priorities and ensure trust in governments.
Zambia has made some progress in improving its health system and expanding access to health services, especially for the poor and vulnerable groups (Masiye et al., 2016). However, it still relies on external funding, high out-of-pocket (OOP) payments, and low coverage of health insurance (Chansa et al., 2020).
Despite substantial investments in infrastructure and teachers, many low-income countries struggle with large class sizes in primary school, particularly in lower grades. Large class sizes and pupil-teacher ratios (PTRs) can make it difficult for teachers to attend to students’ learning needs, provide feedback, and mark homework, thus limiting student learning opportunities and contributing to poor learning outcomes. High PTR also can generate higher rates of grade repetition, which exacerbates large class sizes and leads some students to drop out of school.