Zambia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with UK-based Obrizum Group to pilot artificial intelligence in its secondary schools and TEVET vocational institutions, with the programme set to launch in April 2026. The deal, formalised through Zambia’s Ministry of Technology and Science, is the government’s most concrete move yet to integrate AI into classroom delivery at scale.
- Pilot begins mid-April 2026, targeting secondary school learners first before expanding to Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training (TEVET) institutions.
- Obrizum Group will develop and deploy AI-powered learning tools designed to personalise instruction based on individual student learning patterns.
- Minister of Technology and Science Felix Mutati said the initiative aligns with President Hakainde Hichilema’s broader strategy to modernise education, which already includes free education policies and expanded school infrastructure.
- The government’s stated aim is to bridge educational inequality by enabling personalised learning regardless of geographic location.
- A nationwide rollout will follow if the pilot demonstrates improved learning outcomes.
Zambia’s education sector has expanded access in recent years, but quality and equity gaps persist, particularly outside urban centres. The TEVET system trains graduates for the trades and technical workforce that Zambia needs as it pursues economic diversification beyond copper. Bringing AI-driven personalised instruction into vocational training is a direct investment in the skills pipeline. Obrizum, which specialises in adaptive AI learning platforms, provides the technology layer; the Zambian government provides the mandate and the institutions.
Bigger Picture: Africa’s AI-in-education market is nascent but accelerating, with governments from Rwanda to Kenya and now Zambia moving from pilots to policy commitments. The TEVET angle is particularly significant. Zambia’s long-term economic strategy depends on a technically skilled workforce, and AI-personalised vocational training could compress the time it takes to produce job-ready graduates. If the April pilot delivers measurable results, Zambia could become a replicable model for AI-in-vocational-education across Southern and East Africa.
Source: TechAfrica News
