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The education system can be broken down into the
following grade levels:
• Lower Basic, grades 1-4
• Middle Basic, grades 5-7
• Upper Basic, grades 8-9
• Secondary, grades 10-12
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
• 1 January, New Year’s Day
• 8 March, International Women’s Day
• 12 March, Youth Day
• April, Good Friday
• April, Easter Monday
• 1 May, Labour Day
• 25 May, Africa Freedom day
• 6 July, Heroes’ Day
• 7 July, Unity Day
• 3 August, Farmers Day
• 24 October, Independence Day
• 25 December, Christmas Day
BUSINESS WORKING HOURS
Government offices are open from 0800 to 1430,
Monday to Friday. Some government offices are
closed from 1230 to 1430 for lunch.
Most companies break for lunch from 1300 to 1400.
Most banks are open from 0830 to 1500, Monday to
Friday. Only some are open on Saturday morning in
the first and last week of every month.
Shops are generally open from 0800 to 1700, Mon-
day to Friday, although some stay open until 1900
and on Saturdays from 0800 to 1300. Most busi-
nesses are closed on Sundays.
NATIONAL SYMBOLS
National Flag
The national flag of Zambia was hoisted for the first
time on 23 October 1964. Symbolizing patriotism
and the nation’s natural resources, the flag depicts a
fish-eagle (Zambia’s national bird) in flight over three
stripes of red, black, and orange on a green back-
ground. Red represents the blood shed during the
Zambian struggle for freedom, black represents the
people of Zambia, orange represents the country’s
rich mineral wealth, and green represents the coun-
try’s abundance of wildlife and nature. The fish-eagle
in flight symbolizes the freedom that exists in Zambia
and the ability to rise above national problems.
National Anthem
Stand and sing of Zambia proud and free, Land of
works and joy in unity,
Victors in the struggle for the right,
We have won freedom’s fight.
All one, strong and free.
Africa is our own motherland,
Fashioned with and blessed by God’s good hand.
Let us all her people join as one,
Brothers under the sun, All one,
Strong and free.
One land and one nation is our cry,
Dignity and peace beneath the Zambian sky.
Like our noble eagle in its flight,
Zambia, praise to thee.
All one, strong and free.
Praise to God, bless our great nation,
Free men we stand, under the flag of our land, Zam-
bia praise to thee,
All one strong and free.
CURRENCY
Zambia’s unit of currency is the Kwacha (ZKW),
which is made up of 100 Ngwee. The Ngwee are
coins that come in 5, 10, and 50 denominations. The
Kwacha comes in dominations of 2, 5, 20, 50, and
100.
As of 2015, the exchange rate is at 11,530.00 Kwa-
chas to 1 US Dollar.
There is no limit to the importation of foreign cur-
rency, provided it is declared on arrival through a
currency declaration form. Zambia is also one of the
rare countries with no exchange control.
General Information
