1. Introduction: The Paradox of Expansion and Stagnation
Zambia’s higher education sector has expanded exponentially over the last decade. According to the Higher Education Authority (HEA), by 31 March 2024 there were 160 gazetted Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) — 141 privately owned and 19 public. These included 82 private colleges, 50 private universities, 10 public universities, 9 private university colleges, 5 public colleges, 3 public professional training institutions, and 1 public technical university college.
This rapid growth has tripled the number of degree holders in the labour force, intensifying the demand for gainful employment.
Yet, while the number of graduates has surged, the labour market’s capacity to absorb them has not. In the 1990s, Zambia’s economy could accommodate nearly all university graduates — at a time when there were only two public universities. Today, despite the mushrooming of public and private universities, employment creation has stagnated, and underemployment has become endemic.
2. The Changing Face of Higher Education
Relaxed entry requirements and flexible learning options — such as evening and online classes — have made higher education more accessible. Many in-service employees have also “upgraded” their qualifications, often without corresponding career progression.
However, this expansion has not been matched by new job creation. Graduates continue to invest heavily in their education, only to join the growing pool of degree holders “looking for employment.”
In Zambia, employment is still narrowly defined as “working for an organisation.” This view excludes self-employment or entrepreneurship and reinforces dependence on the state or formal institutions as the main employers. Consequently, the expectation that the ruling party or government will “create jobs” persists as a political and social norm.
3. The Role of University Education
Degree programmes at credible institutions are designed to cultivate researchers and critical thinkers — individuals who can apply rigorous analysis to solve societal problems. Graduates acquire specialised human capital intended to drive innovation and development.
However, many find themselves in roles far below their training levels. For example, an agricultural sciences graduate, trained in research and innovation, may end up applying for clerical or general worker positions after years of unemployment. Similarly, business studies graduates are often underutilised in administrative roles rather than strategic positions.
This underemployment — where highly educated individuals work in jobs that do not utilise their skills — represents a serious misallocation of human and financial resources.
4. Why It Matters
Underemployment and unemployment are not just personal setbacks; they are systemic inefficiencies. When degree holders replace diploma-level workers rather than create new value, both public and private investments in education yield diminishing returns.
Zambia’s reliance on the “invisible hand” of the market has deepened these inefficiencies. The public sector, the country’s largest employer, has limited absorptive capacity, constrained by budget ceilings on personal emoluments.
In developmental states, by contrast, governments actively invest in research and development (R&D) to stimulate innovation and job creation. In Zambia, however, R&D funding remains marginal. For instance, the agricultural sector receives an average of just 2% of the national budget — leaving little room for innovation-led employment growth.
5. The Market Paradox
Because of limited public investment, many engineering graduates now work in the financial sector — not due to interest, but due to necessity. These graduates, often educated at public expense, end up applying only a fraction of their technical expertise in unrelated industries.
While their income taxes eventually benefit the state, this misalignment represents a deadweight loss — the economy loses both productivity and innovation potential. Meanwhile, banking and finance graduates remain unemployed, perpetuating a vicious cycle of skill mismatch and inefficiency.
6. Towards a Developmental Mindset
The root problem is a narrative gap. Higher education continues to be viewed primarily as a pathway to formal employment, rather than as a platform for innovation and entrepreneurship. This mindset limits creativity and discourages risk-taking.
A developmental state mindset — one that values start-ups, self-employment, and applied innovation — is urgently needed. While there are youth empowerment initiatives and Constituency Development Fund (CDF) grants, these often prioritise expansion or “quick wins” over true start-up incubation.
Moreover, the supportive institutional framework for mobilising resources — from families, communities, and the private sector — is weak. Social networks often expect immediate returns on education, rather than nurturing long-term innovation.
7. Policy and Institutional Recommendations
To realign Zambia’s labour market and higher education system toward sustainable development, several shifts are necessary:
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Redefine Employment: Broaden the national understanding of employment to include self-employment and entrepreneurship.
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Reform Job Procurement Rules: Match qualifications to roles to reduce underemployment (e.g., pharmacists in labs, technologists in dispensaries).
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Invest in R&D: Allocate meaningful funding to public universities and research institutions to drive innovation-led job creation.
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Promote Start-Up Ecosystems: Create financing models that support proof-of-concept stages, not just established businesses.
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Reframe Family and Societal Roles: Encourage families and communities to support graduates in building enterprises rather than only seeking formal jobs.
8. Conclusion: Holding the “Milking Cow” by Both Horns
True transformation requires simultaneous investment in human capital development (higher education) and job creation through R&D. It takes time — just like nurturing a heifer before it produces milk — but the long-term benefits far outweigh short-term political gains.
By embracing a developmental mindset, Zambia can turn its expanding higher education sector into a genuine driver of innovation, job creation, and inclusive growth — where education is not just an “equaliser,” but a catalyst for sustainable transformation.
Reference:
Higher Education Authority (HEA). “160 Registered and Recognised HEIs Gazetted.” 14 October 2024. Available at https://hea.org.zm/160-registered-and-recognised-heis-gazetted/
