Currently serving as the Principal Planning Officer at the Examinations Council of Zambia (ECZ), Angel Mutale Kaliminwa has extensive experience in educational assessment, curriculum reform, and coordinating regional assessment networks across Africa. He holds a Bachelor of Arts with Education (BAEd), Geography from the University of Zambia, and a Master of Arts (MA) from the University of Delhi, India. In addition to his university degrees, he has earned certifications from several organizations across a range of disciplines, including Public Examinations Development and Administration, Data Management and Analysis, External Quality Assurance, Psychometrics, Planning and Management of Social Services and Infrastructure, Strategic Planning and Implementation, and Project and Contract Management.
Angel began his 35-year career as a secondary school geography teacher, guidance counsellor, and accounts officer, serving in those roles for ten years before joining the Examinations Council of Zambia (ECZ) as a Senior Research Officer. In that role, he worked on field testing of test items, statistical analyses, and collaborative projects with organizations such as the World Bank and USAID. He later progressed through several positions, including Principal Examinations Specialist, where he supervised test developers and initiated the development of an item management system. Eventually, he assumed the position of Principal Planning Officer, chairing examination reform committees and leading the development of assessment framework documents and processes aligned with international best-practice standards. He also developed the organization’s first locally produced strategic plan and is currently leading the development of its next five-year strategic plan, which will guide the organization through 2031.
Angel is driven by a desire to determine what every child should learn, regardless of background, to be educated and to lead a successful, meaningful, and productive life. This commitment inspired him to become actively involved in and lead national assessments and educational research. He has collaborated with organizations across Africa to develop strategic plans aimed at improving the quality of education.
Angel has represented Zambia at numerous continental forums, serving as the focal point for the Anglophone Network of African Learning Assessment (NALA) and the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA). Notably, he led the coordination of common strategic goals for both Anglophone and Francophone African countries. He has also presented research papers at conferences and forums across Africa and internationally, including Botswana, China, Côte d’Ivoire, France, Rwanda, Senegal, Singapore, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.
Zambia’s current assessment system includes sample-based learning assessments at Grades 5 and 9, accompanied by home and school contextual questionnaires, as well as high-stakes, population-wide certification examinations at Grade 12.
Angel discusses Zambia’s interest in computer-based online assessment delivery. Although the country had previously considered implementing digital assessments, those plans were paused primarily because of ICT infrastructure and cyber–security concerns, as well as the need to establish robust policies and safeguards before scaling digital delivery. He highlights several advantages of online assessments, including reduced administration time, improved accuracy, real-time reporting, and faster processing of results.
He explains that the organization is now interested in piloting digital administration through its sample-based, lower-stakes national assessments to build confidence and capacity before expanding to high-stakes examinations. He notes that while Zambia has government-led digital initiatives, such as Smart Zambia, along with infrastructure capacity, and a willingness to automate operations, it would need to address the challenges related to Internet connectivity. He also suggests exploring the use of existing business centers and smartphones as alternative testing platforms. Angel expresses optimism about the future of large-scale digital assessments, particularly with advancements in technology like AI.
Angel is passionate about improving the quality of education and sharing best practices across Africa. Throughout his career, he has taken great satisfaction in having spearheaded several initiatives such as the following:
- Training and mentoring assessment developers
- Developing a locally designed electronic item management system
- Developing and adapting local assessments for international studies, such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)
- Conducting research that influenced the Ministry policy that led to the introduction of a nationwide school-based assessment system
- Leading the development of the Examinations Council of Zambia’s (ECZ) first locally developed strategic plan
- Leading a team of researchers and examination specialists in developing the organization’s quality assurance, measurement and evaluation frameworks
Currently, Angel serves as the African Conference Ambassador for the 51st Annual International Association for Educational Assessment (IAEA) Conference, which will be held in Toronto, Canada from September 27 to October 2, 2026. The conference is hosted by the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) in collaboration with its technology partner, Vretta. You can learn more about the conference on the conference website: https://www.eqao.com/iaea-annual-conference/.
Away from his professional responsibilities, Angel enjoys reading, travelling, driving, and watching movies. Feel free to reach out to him at kaliminwaa@yahoo.com.
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