Students at Mansa Trades Training Institute in Luapula Province yesterday staged a class boycott demanding among other things the resignation of the Vice Principal Amos Kabwe.
The students who carried placards denouncing the college Vice Principal vowed not to return to classes until their demands were met.
Speaking to ZANIS in Mansa, Institute Union President Nathan Njovu said the students were calling for the resignation of the Vice Principal because of what he termed as intimidation to both lecturers and the students.
Mr Njovu said staffing levels at the institution were low because lecturers are being fired without replacement thereby affecting learning at the institution.
He said the institution which he described as an hands on institute has had no training materials for a long time making it difficult for students to pass exams or perform as were supposed to once they completed their education.
He said the students union at the institution had tried to engage management on several occassions but nothing had been done so far.
The students were also demanding that management review the money they have been paying for the purchase of a bus since 2009 had elapsed and no bus had been purchased.
Speaking earlier Union Vice President Mukubulo Chilufya called on republican President Michael Sata to sweep the corruption allegedly being perpetrated at the institution as he endeavoured to sweep graft out of the country.
Mr Chilufya said it was worrying how infrastructure at the institution was tearing apart despite paying maintenance fees.
He also questioned where the sports fees from students were taken because no sporting activities were undertaken.
He further called on management to reconnect the institution to the Musonda falls power supply line instead of the national grid to reduce on load shedding and low voltage.
He said this had impacted negatively on the students who were unable to study due to low voltage and outages.
And College Board Chairperson Edward Limande revealed to ZANIS in an interview today that in the quest to meet student’s demands the college had decided to send the vice principal on leave pending investigations.
Mr Limande said management was doing everything possible to ensure that all their demands were met.
ZANIS
How will the students pass without lecturers? Let him be fired.
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN ZAMBIA KANSHI……PROTESTS EVERYWHERE…NOMBA NABA TRADES BONSE MA PROTESTS…TWALYA SANA BEANS…YOU PROTEST……..NABANTANO UBWALI YOU START PROTESTING…PLEASE…LET US NO TAKE OUR PEACE FOR GRANTED…OTHERS NEED IT.
THIS IS GOOD. THE ONLY WAY THE GOVERNMENT CAN KNOW THAT AT A CERTAIN INSTITUTION PEOPLE AT THE TOP LEADERSHIP ARE CORRUPT/TRIBALIST Â IS BYÂ PROTESTING. GOOD WORK STUDENTS.
I HOPE THIS EVEN GOES TO BASIC SCHOOL IF THEY SEE THAT THE PRINCIPAL IS A WITCH/WIZARD ..LOL
THANKS. DONCHI KU TELL THEM
Actually this problem is commonplace in all MSTVT run institutions. May HE just disolve all the boards in these institutions as they have a source of corrupt activities.
The reasons for the protest are very justified, when I looked at the headline I thought they are protesting because of poor meals, which is common in zm institutions of learning but not having lecturers is a very serious matter which must be addressed immediately. Its a pity some us who once worked in these institutions have left for better perks.I think its high time we went back and help our country.I have been out for 5 years only, though I am getting enough to invest back home, I still feel something is missing in my life. I should go back, esp that for the first time since 1991 we have some one we can call a president in plot 1. The rest were jokers.
Its true i was there once.
let the man go and rest!!
We sincerely appeal to his excellency the President Mr Sata to look into the issue of the so called management boards in TEVET colleges .These college boards were made by the MMD government and this has lead to poor conditions of service for the teaching staff and support staff who work on contracts.We appeal to the President to dissolve these boards and let the workers be put on government payroll where workers would be assured of job security.
I worked with this man-his style of leadership is not liked by lazy students and I wish all the truth would be sorted befor this publication was done-students are trying to take advantage of the political scenes going on in the country.Country men and women,the lady principal and her team including this man have really tried to take Mansa Trades where it is for now-it is far much better than other rural trades institutes.The students are mentioning corruption what is there to be corrupt about at Mansa Trades,the issue is govt has neglected these institutions that were given to be run by boards yet all the boards inherited was debt like this same institution inherited about 2.1billion of unpaid terminal benefits.how do you expect people to run without money please.Be realistic students
Let these college boards be dissolved.These colleges should be controlled directly by government.There is too much corruption going unchecked in these management board colleges.
Here we go again.
Elo lwanya nomba, naba trades kumo ati protests…. yaba.Â