Education Minister Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa urged students at UNZA and the Copperbelt University to understand the conditions of their bursaries, saying meal allowances are non negotiable because the current amount is what government is able to afford.
He noted that when students feel what they are getting is inadequate, their parents and guardians should supplement what government is providing.
He added that meal allowance conditions are well spelt out in the bursaries’ forms for students saying students should understand them before making any demands.
Prof Lungwangwa and Information Minister Mike Mulongoti yesterday afternoon visited the two University of Zambia (UNZA) students who were shot and wounded by Police during demonstrations at the institution yesterday.
Briefing the Press at the University Teaching Hospital, Mr. Mulongoti, who is also Chief Government Spokesperson, said government will provide the necessary support to the two students in accordance with recommendations from health authorities at UTH.
UTH authorities say the two students Chewe Chishala and Samuel Nasilele who were shot in the leg and chest respectively are in a stable condition.
On Friday students at ,UNZA, great east road campus ran amok demanding for an increase in their meal allowances.
Riot Police officers who rushed to the scene were stoned by the irate students forcing them to shoot the two students as they attempted to scare them away.
How do you expect students to concentrate on their studies if they have little or no food to eat with the attendant resources that is required of them to do their research and hand in necessary assignments promptly.
Please, GRZ learn to be inclusive of everyone. The only difference should be that this time around it is you who are in leadership, but in future it may be the students who were shot that will led the nation.
Please, let us be careful with what we do and how we do it. To those who were shot, please hang in there as you recuperate. Remember too that God answers prayer.
No 1 is interestd in the instability being experienced at the 2 Inst.of higher learning in the land.Govts must lend a listerning ear 2 the cries of the students.At the end of the day,both parties involved must be able 2 meet half way.
However students must be reasonable in their demands to govt if at all they r to succeed in their demands.Violence is nt the solution.
I agree with the Minister we are the only country in which students stupidly expect the government to buy them food. Grow up you stupid students.
#2,you must be Brian Hapunda?I followed the politics of your executive and you scored.You have the wisdom of your father.By the way,where is he?He is too quite.Those are Politicians of integrity.
Ba Mwenda,the ans.is free education for all.Money is there!
#5 remember zambia is a poor country we need good salaries for our doctors and nurses who touch the faeces of HIV AIDS, teachers who teach you up to the time you feel you can stone the motarist than giving it all to UNZA students, The budget allocations for each year sld not be over run coz of selfish students who want to drink chibuku in mutendere and kaunda squire be wise there is no money in zambia ok.
This is very interesting indeed. How does it come to happen that students at MMU (not Maureen Mwanawasa University, better referred to as Mposa Mabwe University) canot afford to be supported by their families as far as food allowance is concerned.From primary school (nope from Nursery school) to secondary school families can afford to pack food for the these students when they are kids, but when they get to MMU suddenly all the pockets run dry! It cant be true that all these families cant afford to supplement as soon as these MMs get to university.If indeed they come from such poor families they would appreciate the little they get. Truth is there is more to this. The money they are
The prof. has clearly stated that if your demands for food are too much let your parents suplement not resolting to violence.Onvele anvele otherwise muza sila kuwombelewa.
The Minister is very audible and clear. Next time bachimbwi at Mposa Mabwe University, you throw stones, we shall aim your stupid heads. Viva to ourselves ba buju.
“free things” Mentality… the only reason africans are lagging behind. condoms are so cheap but Iwe uli busy making babies you cant afford to feed?
Super cop imbwa,findlay naiwe ndiwe chipuba i know you well.You dont reason well.Thats why we unza students are fighting for better allowance so that the number of ignorant *****s like you cops and findlay reduces as soon as you get educated at unza.GANIZA…shoulder kubenda chifukwa cha kunyamula mfuti…Ati Nchito Atase..Vikopo veka veka..
#11 You are fighting the wrong “way” in fact the strategy is so primitive it dificult to imagine you are the educated guys, there is no difference to the “Kaponya”. That Policeman has to shoulder that gun so you can learn in peace, Mr educatred intelligent graduate, someone has to be a Policeman!!!
I am suprised that there are vikopo at the UNZA and even asking for more money, for people who cannot think beyond their noses, all you know is violence, atase!!!
uncle sam#11 you are a dem dog ya muchila, being at the so called UNZA doesn’t mean intelligence, you are a product of leackages in high sch nowonder you throw stones to disturb serious students and hinder them from progressing. Not all cops,doctors, nurses, teachers are the same, some are dull and some intelligent it’s just some chances in life so learn to control your corrupt mind when you comment.
good stance it should not be negotiable u dont go to university to earn meal allowances. thee students they think lyonse kula pula fye nokulasa imyotoka namabwe. Atleast these students can start a rap career instead of being called 50cent one can call himself 50 ngwee…
If you think twice, K300 pin is very much enough for one person to survive on for a month. Some Civil servants get less than K2m and have families of over 6 people to feed. One way that inteligence can be tested is in the way you can manage your monies. I think UNZA babies should grow up and start thinking like adults. I fully support the Prof. on this! I have been at UNZA too and I know how u chaps spend your money!!!
The minister is very clear. You chaps spend your allowances on chibuku and mahules in Mtendere , Kaunda Square and Kalingalinga. The government can only do so much. Our mentality is totally wrong. No wonder we still a poor country despite all the resources we have. In rich nations (developed) students pay for their own education by doing all kinds of jobs but you chaps have pride for nothing. Grow up find part time work if you come from poor families to suppliment the handouts from government.
the only problem i have is that unza students think they are fist class citizens.they burn innocent peoples cars forgeting that these are the people that pay tax which they are demonding.maybe they will learn to negotiate like university students after testing copper wire.
Tamwaleka.and those two students shd sue grz 4 personal injuries
In six months time the first ever laundry will be openning in Kabwe and students interested to supplement the allowance will be given part time jobs. Just being patriotic.
# 16
You reminded me of our varsity days when a number of students used to hang-around with the Kalinga-linga mtendele girls and then babies were born, later erupted an era of street children on UNZA grounds.
This meal allowance must be abolished. No more free money. I think Zambia has enough reserves that they can afford to pay for lazy Students.
There are enough students at UNZA that can afford to even pay for their tution. But because the system is so corrupt the guys end up getting free education and get away with it.
How much endowment can UNZA generate?? I wonder if they have a policy related to that. And that is our highest institution of learning in the country.
MEAL ALLOWANCES ARE NOT NEGOTIABLE , ARE HUNGER, STARVATON AND DEATH NEGOTIBLE BWANA MINISTER?
Its too bad how the Zambian government is reacting to the calls of students either at home or abroad. The UNZA students are being shot at now when trying to make their demands be heard. What about the students oversea, what can they do that they can not even demonstrate because they in the foreign coutries. Give an example of Zambian students in Algeria and Russia who were recently visited by the Depute Mister of Education My Sinyinda who told the nothing new but the usual story that their allowances will not be increased.
#11. Uncle Sam: U are very very wrong, the policeman is working and respect his job. If u are a student, u are nothing as compared to a BUJU. U can even flop. U are an interlectual, why throw stones. the minister is right.
Grow up UNZA & CBU
Dear all contributors,
I would like to urge all of you to utilise this facility [Leave a Comment space] to discuss the issue at hand in a sober and level headed manner and not acrimonous way. Through this platform we can help our government, MPs and other decision-makers to improve the policies for the benefit of many more Zambians especially the future generation. Insulting each other will not help us resolve the problem at hand instead it will further degenerate our country.
I visited the two students yesterday (Sunday) and their conditions are bad. Therefore, i appeal to the government and private sector to ensure that the two are urgently given the best medical treatment they deserve..
like i said ..i stand my ground why should you fail to reason and encourage some ignorant and dull cop to shoot at a student in his hostel.Take time to think…Naiwe chi poor police officer #13 Katungise chabe nsapato…Ndaba Nzelu Zeve Palibiletu….
Mr lungwangwa is only in government to bring tribal harmony, thats the problem when you elevate a finacially unstable person to that position,they stop thinking clearly,i m certain he feels that those rioting students in fact even lecturers included do so to discredit him, he is very incompetent for that job,qualifications alone dont mean someone can deliver, he was just awoken from his sleep to go and sit in that chair,were was he when the budget was being formulated that today he should say, thats what govt can afford, he goes on to say if its not enough they should source for extra from there relations or parents(this honorable man is detached from reality) thats an insult to tax payers
#27 you have a problem
i recommend you for prayers
#choma1 i m glad you have noticed, though i dont know your exact diagnosis,would you care to let me know.
#28 i m glad you have noticed, though i dont know your exact diagnosis,would you care to let me know.
GUYS what is it you have done for your government? Do not expect always Government to for provide for but also you student help the government by working in government instutitions volutarly.By so doing you gonna srike the balance.
students ought to have proper ways of communicating to govt over grievances.this utter stupidity!parents should also take care of their children,they are not govt’s!except when somoen is an orpahn.the BC is just abused coz most of these chaps have both parents alive.
UNZA students are still living with the COLD-WAR syndrome where it was fashionable for students, especially those in the iron-curtain countries to freely demonstrate in the names of Che, Maxism and all the idioms that went with Communism. The world has changed ten fold with the collapse of communism. Change with times students. Your colleagues in other countries sustain themselves by taking part in research and other projects. I don’t remember hearing anything close to a University of Zambia student having done a successful research of anything. Wake up. You have the potential and energy to earn yourself a good living even as a student only if you are positive. Throwing stones won’t do you
any good. Show us what you can do with your lives. Charity begins at home.
Like in homes when you want help from your parents you dont express your needs by stoning your neighbor’s properties. Learn from students in US and UK, they work at night in bars and eating places for school logistics. I did that myself. So Unza students and you Uncle Sam and your ‘some of us buddies ‘ grow intelligently.
If u have beeb to a Zambian Varsity u will appreciate how inportant BC is, it only takes a person who has never been to the university not appreciate it’s importancy. The only bad thing is that you will find children of ministers geting the same BC when there are poor students who are more deserving. They should cut off those who come from farmilies that can afford. Doing away with it will deprive a lot of our brothers and sisters who are gifted but yet it is difficult for them to pay because they have parents who earn less that 1.5 per month. How do you expect such a parent to pay 2 million a semester or academic year and still manage to send money for food.
Throwing stones at innocent citizen’s vehicles is not a good way to resolve the meal allowncae impathy.as much as we are sympathyse with our fellow interlectuals,let us try to preach dialogue because some of these guys are our future leaders.being a former student,i think 300pin is not enough simply because things have changed and honestly speaking i don’t expect our profesor lungangwa to be so unreasonable that he can’t seek audience with my fellow interlectauls especialy that he was a student at the same institution and am convinced that he also benefited from the free education.to the bujus,please change your thinking because i know that most of the bujus behaving in that way towards stud
It is shameful for the govt not to increase student meal allowances saying there is no money. Zambia is well funded by aid from outside. Govermnet has to reduce their trips abroad and reduce their allowance, maybe money can be available to students for a good cause. We have not seem any development inthe country for since Kaunda left.
Please, try to create good condition for the Zambian students so that they can do well at school and you should also remember the Zambian abroad. Food prices are rising each day that passes while the students´s still gets the same BC. How do you expect your students to well at school. Worse for those who are studying abroad. THINK ABOUT THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Am not sure about the cost of living in Zambia right now but since we call this money a food allowance and the students complain that it is not enough, why not the government try to feed the whole university using coupons and make sure the coupons can feed a person 3 good meals for a month and if a student prefers not to use the coupons, they can redeem them for cash.Our government always complains that we dont have any money but if Education was the top priority as it payin for the stupid by elections or Mwanawasa’s flights to meetings that never end, then we wouldnt have problems.
surely, each and evry time, its the same song being sang. They can’t even understand the situation of students studying abroad,they don’t know if the funds being given are enough or wat, on top of that, the delayement they take to giv them. We are just surviving by the grace of God and just hope that one day our dreams will be achieved.
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