The concept milestone refers to a very important or significant stage or event in the development of something (Hornby, 2000).
Kelly (1999:2) defines the concept education as, “an organized and sustained communication process designed to bring about learning”. It is important to note that education occurs in three different forms such as formal education, non formal education and informal education.
Todaro and Smith (2003:51) defines development as “a multidimensional process involving major changes in social structures, popular attitudes, and national institutions, as well as acceleration of economic growth, the reduction of inequality, and the eradication of poverty”.
At the time of independence, Zambia 's modernization process was far from complete and it was realized that it had only 109 university graduates and 1000 school levers. The nation 's educational system was one of the most poorly developed in all of Britain 's former colonies. For this reason, Zambia had to invest heavily in education at all levels such as early childhood, primary, basic education, high school and tertiary education. This was important in order to increase the educated population and development of human resource or manpower in the nation. This led to a number of educational developments in the country since the onset of independence.
In the early 1960s the government established a policy where all children, irrespective of their parent’s financial capacity to pay, were given free exercise books, pencils and pens but left the parents with the major responsibility to buy uniforms, pay the children’s school fees
References: Hornby, A.S. (2000). Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary. London: Oxford University Press. Kelly M.J (2000). Reading comes First: Primary Reading Programme: Baseline Reading Study. Lusaka: Ministry of Education and DFID. Kelly M.J Kelly, M.J &. Kanyika. J. (2000). Learning Achievement at the Middle Basic Level: Summary Report on Zambia’s National Assessment Project. Lusaka: Government Printers. Ministry of Education Ministry of Education. (1996). Educating Our Future: National Policy on Education. Lusaka: Government Printers, Lusaka Ministry of Education Ministry of Education. (1996). Investing in our People: Integrated Education Sector Ministry of Education Ministry of Education. (2003). Strategic Plan 2003-2007. Lusaka: Ministry of Education. Todaro, M.P. &.Smith, S.C. (2003). Economic Development. New Delhi: Pearson Education Ltd. United Nations. (2008). Millennium Development Goals Progress Report 2008.Lusaka: Ministry of Finance and National planning.