Learners attend a lesson at Minsenga Secondary School in Kalulushi, Zambia. The school is helping increase access to secondary education for students in rural areas of the Copperbelt Province. July 14, 2026. (Photo by Martin Mbangweta)

NNA News - A secondary school built with support from a Chinese mining company is helping expand access to education in Zambia's Copperbelt Province, allowing hundreds of learners to study closer to home and pursue new opportunities.

The Minsenga Secondary School, constructed in 2025 with support from Sino-Metals Leach Zambia Limited (SMLZL), serves learners in Kalulushi, a remote town near Zambia's border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. For student Mirriam Chola, the school has ended years of travelling away from home to continue her education. "I was learning in a Catholic school where I had a challenge to stay with my family, and I was missing them a lot," Chola said.

She said attending a school in her hometown has improved both her learning experience and quality of life. "I arrive at school early, giving myself time to relax and refresh my mind so that I can learn more new things." Chola hopes to study engineering at university. Across many rural parts of Zambia, limited school infrastructure has made access to secondary education difficult, contributing to high dropout rates.

As the government works to improve education infrastructure, Chinese companies operating in the country have increasingly supported the construction of schools and the donation of learning materials. Minsenga Secondary School headmaster Andrew Mfune said the project has transformed educational opportunities for young people in the surrounding communities. "Most of them opted to just stop school because they had no way out, and their future was shattered. But now all the learners nearby can continue their secondary education," Mfune said.

Minsenga Secondary School headmaster Andrew Mfune speaks during an interview outside the school in Kalulushi, Zambia. He said the new school has expanded access to education and renewed hope for learners in nearby communities. July 14, 2026. (Photo by Martin Mbangweta)

He said improved infrastructure is expected to help learners pursue careers in engineering, healthcare, education and other professions. Mfune also praised Chinese companies for supporting rural education, saying the partnerships had strengthened cooperation between Zambia and China.

According to Sydney Chileya, deputy chief executive officer of SMLZL, investment in education complements the Zambian government's long-term development priorities. "The government needs to mobilize resources to build infrastructure, and this is where we came in quickly as a private sector," Chileya said. He added that the company has also renovated Chambishi Secondary School and donated classroom furniture to improve learning conditions.

Chileya said expanding educational opportunities remains central to the company's community development efforts. "Some of them will become teachers, while others will become nurses, doctors or engineers. We want to give them hope," he said.

Teachers engage with learners during a classroom session at Minsenga Secondary School in Kalulushi, Zambia. The school was built with support from Sino-Metals Leach Zambia Limited to improve access to secondary education in the surrounding communities. July 14, 2026. (Photo by Martin Mbangweta)

The project reflects broader efforts to improve access to quality education in rural Zambia through partnerships between government and the private sector.