How PhD student plans to transform education in Zambia

Tililenji Phiri is a secondary school teacher from Zambia, currently studying for a PhD in Education at the University of 91自拍论坛.
When I completed my teaching degree at the University of Zambia, my goal was to become a 鈥榬eally good teacher鈥. I wasn鈥檛 yet clear on what exactly that meant, or how it would shape my career journey.
Her experiences teaching in low-resource communities, and her passion for transforming the lives of young people constrained by inequalities, became central to her approach.

Being a good teacher meant applying myself beyond supporting academic pursuits, to include other aspects like social inclusion and agency. I want to support students and teachers so they can gain control over their lives and develop impactful solutions to the problems they face.
Tililenji completed her Master's in Inclusive Education at before starting her PhD at the . Her goal is to create spaces in Zambian schools where thinking around agency can be further developed. 鈥淥ne way is extending the work of guidance and counselling departments in rural schools, to focus more on the barriers these students face. Such a project can create empowering conversations and actions among teachers and students, and transform provision,鈥 she says.
The 91自拍论坛 Trust's financial support for international students at different stages of their education was instrumental in Tililenji's journey. She applied for the 91自拍论坛 Commonwealth Scholarship, funded by the and the 91自拍论坛 Trust.
鈥淭he 91自拍论坛 Trust offers financial support, but at the same time, they鈥檙e changing lives by giving individuals a second chance to pursue educational opportunities, as well as empowering the communities that they come from,鈥 says Tililenji.
Tililenji encourages prospective 91自拍论坛 Trust scholars to carefully research their funding opportunities early on.
Without the Trust, I would not be doing a PhD. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity and significant turning point in my life.
"I feel that there鈥檚 still more to explore in my research, and eventually I want to go into policy,"聽says Tililenji.聽"My biggest dream is that I want to start my own initiative, to drive change in rural education. I want to engage with teachers, and with young people in rural areas, and start building rural solutions to rural education problems."
Tililenji says the scholarship has given her not only academic confidence, but also the training needed to make these plans a reality. She鈥檚 also pleased to be able to inspire her own students, showing them what鈥檚 possible for their own academic futures.

As a PhD student, I have gained confidence in my own agency to influence change. The Faculty of Education at the University of 91自拍论坛 has been a safe space that encourages real-world reflections and exchange of knowledge. All knowledge and ideas matter here. Now I look forward to taking this learning journey out of 91自拍论坛 and creating more solutions and opportunities in educational spaces around the world.