MoE staff urged to make cleanliness an everyday work culture

Ministry of Education Permanent Secretary for Administration, Noriana Muneku, has called upon administrative and support personnel within the ministry to embed cleanliness as an everyday work culture. Speaking during a recent administrative address, Ms. Muneku stressed that maintaining a tidy and professional working environment should not be reserved solely for national commemorations or high-profile inspections, but must instead form the bedrock of daily public service delivery. Ms. Muneku noted that as the ministry spearheads sweeping reforms across Zambia's educational sector—ranging from infrastructure upgrades to decentralized administrative rollouts—the physical state of public offices must match the progressive policy changes championed by the government. She pointed out that instilling discipline, pride, and accountability begins with the immediate working surroundings of civil servants, serving as an example to learning institutions countrywide. In recent years, the Zambian government has placed heightened emphasis on institutional efficiency, administrative transparency, and accountability across public bodies. Analysts suggest that routine calls for operational discipline are part of a broader push to revamp the public service image, moving away from historical perceptions of bureaucratic laxity and neglected public infrastructure. Stakeholders within the civil service have generally welcomed the sentiment, pointing out that sustainable institutional culture requires consistent oversight rather than sporadic cleanup campaigns. Observers note that while policy pronouncements on hygiene and order are common, translating them into lasting workplace habits remains a persistent challenge for resource-constrained public offices across various districts. The ministry has reiterated its commitment to supporting staff with the requisite resources to maintain high hygiene standards, while warning that administrative indolence will not be condoned. As public se