By Clement Mumba, Katondo Street Journal
This piece is published by The Zambian Economist through a content-sharing partnership with Katondo Street Journal, where it was originally written and published by Clement Mumba.
After secondary school, the natural instinct of most Zambians is to pursue higher education, and interestingly, this seems to be the priority for everyone, including those who may have talents outside academics. It is therefore no surprise that most Zambians go on to colleges, universities and vocational training centres. Prestige, money and grades may all play a role in determining exactly which institutions learners end up at.
The Weight of a Name
It appears that institutions of higher learning, although accredited to offer quality education, still shape conversations around the perceived quality of the diploma or degree one has attained. Yet at a basic level, any institution accredited to offer education is worth it. Nelson Mandela’s reminder still resonates:
Education is the most powerful tool to change the world.
Nelson Mandela
Perhaps which institution of higher learning one attended should not matter as much as it does. It has become more a matter of prestige, joked about among friends who may not easily take offence if their alma mater is deemed inferior. It is a bit like food: it may not be important to state that you eat better than others, as long as everyone eats well, though not everyone can afford to eat well. That has become the character of alma mater talk in Zambia’s academic environment. While some are elevated for a prestigious alma mater, others are vilified, mocked and questioned on the very same basis, which is why conversations about where someone studied can turn pleasant or distasteful so quickly.
What Should Matter More: Value to Industry
More important than the alma mater is whether a graduate is valuable to industry. School sells the idea that it is a springboard, launching learners into industry with the knowledge and skills to be appreciated in their fields. That argument has not, however, eased the conversation around the name of the institution one graduated from.
This tension between prestige and performance is not unique to the classroom. It shows up again once graduates enter the job market, where Zambia’s youth unemployment numbers tell their own story about how well the pipeline from lecture hall to livelihood is actually working.
Public Versus Private, and a Shift Over Time
Growing up, the general view was that private schools were better than public ones. Private schools were seen as offering more dedicated teachers and stronger English-medium instruction, so those in private schools were envied. That may have been true once, but over time learners in public schools caught up. The remaining differences became technical rather than a matter of dedication or language use.
Post-secondary school tells a different story: public institutions are often now the more prestigious choice, a contrast to the earlier years of schooling. That shift reflects genuine demand from learners, placing emphasis on quality education rather than profit. Higher education may be the most consequential phase for many, since it is usually after this stage that people find jobs, whether by being employed or by creating employment themselves. The question comes naturally, sometimes to congratulate, sometimes to quietly test: “So which university did you go to?”
When “Small Name” Universities Produce Big Results
Logically, what should matter more is whether someone can perform once inside the industry. It is not surprising to hear of graduates underperforming despite high expectations attached to a top university name, though that is far from true of every graduate from a big-name institution.
In contrast, some graduates from “small name” universities go on to shock the world. Their recruitment may have felt like a gamble, with alma mater stirring debate among recruiters regardless of impressive grades, yet when it pays off, it challenges the stereotype attached to those universities. A fairer standard would hold that any accredited institution of higher learning deserves a fair chance for its graduates to be respected. That same principle of giving credentials or track record a fair, practical test shows up in how young entrepreneurs are building ventures regardless of where they trained.
A Fairer Standard for Zambia’s Graduates
In many instances, the quality of education is still tied to the alma mater in the public imagination. It seems to matter which school one attended, sometimes more than the grades scored. Not much of the debate concerns whether graduates are actually of value; it tends to settle instead on the name and brand of the school. Many are careful about what will become their alma mater, and money and grades remain critical to gaining entry into particular universities.
For those who do not land a prestigious institution, there is still reason to take pride in the saying that education is the most powerful tool to change the world, provided the institution is accredited by the relevant bodies. And for those inclined to talk up the prestige of their alma mater, a simpler standard is worth holding onto: what matters is what you graduate with, not which institution you graduate from.
WARNING! All rights reserved. This material and all other digital content on this website may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed, in whole or in part, without the prior express permission of The Zambian Economist. Where permission is granted, the content must be clearly credited to “The Zambian Economist,” with “www.zambianeconomist.com” prominently displayed.
WhatsApp: +260775574228 | Email: info@zambianeconomist.com
© 2026 The Zambian Economist.
