Piece Comment

Review for Schools that Work


In this insightful vox pop, produced by Kezman Saboi, the evaluation of Zambian schools is well-presented.

Since this piece has no narrator, it jumps right in, and you know that the schools don’t have what they need, but you don’t know where they can get it from. It’s a great technique. A variety of voices are used, which helps the piece present the situation in Zambian schools without bias. Around seven voices are used and these voices help the listener get a understanding of the real problem in Zambian schools; that the equipment is there, but there is no knowledge of how to use the equipment to help the students pass their exams. I thought the piece presented the good, bad, and ugly just as the piece description indicated.

My favorite part of the piece was the humor at the end. Humor is a tough thing to put into a radio piece, but the natural humor about the conditions of Zambian school bathrooms provides the listener with a something they could relate to. Though the situation in Zambian schools needs attention, I thought the piece did not try to overwhelm the listener, but rather inform them.

In terms of improvement, I wondered whether these problems are the same in public or private Zambian schools. An in-depth explanation about the different types of schools in Zambia would help with this. Also an expert voice on the school problem in Zambia would provide further insight to the listener.

Overall, though, this piece provides insight into a country many Americans are not familiar with, yet makes it relatable using the problems in schools which many Americans have personally dealt with. This piece might work for PRI’s The World in Boston as they do a lot of international pieces.

This piece is about 2 years old and makes me wonder about how Zambian schools are now?