The Parliamentary Committeee on Education has asked the University of Zambia to address their internal problems before asking for external assistance.
Committee Chairperson Ms Faustina Sinyangwe made the remarks and wanted to know how the University of Zambia would maintain the standards of Education and also boost the moral of the staff at the institution.
Ms Sinyangwe said this when UNZA Vice Chancellor Stephen Simukanga presented the institutional ‘annual budget report allocation to the committee at the University of Zambia in Lusaka today.
During the presentation the UNZA Vice Chancellor told the Committee that out of a budget of K50 billion per year, Government only allocated a total of K4 billion to the institution.
The Vice Chancellor said the funds were inadequate to enable the institution meet its budgetary needs among payments of outstanding terminal benefits for retirees and workers’ emoluments.
Prof Simukange said the University also faced a number of problems such as the staffing levels have gone down from 50 % to about 30% in most departments which has in turn put a lot of pressure on the institution, adding that staff development programmes have also suffered.
And UNZA Registrar ,Alvert Ng’andu said there was need for Government to inject more funds towards the operations of the institution.
Mr Ng’andu noted that challenges that the Unversity is facing can not be solved without government involvment and intervention at the highest level which require a review of the polices on funding of Higer Education in Zambia.
He further emphasised the need for a national vision for development as detailed in the development plans which also requires a review of the governance framework in which higher Education operates.
Meanwhile, the Copperbelt University (CBU) owes the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) over K80 billion in unpaid Pay As You Earn (PAYE) statutory contributions.
Bursar, Fanwell Musonda said CBU has not been able to remit workers contributions to ZRA due to limitations in funds from central Government.
Mr. Musonda said this in Kitwe, when the parliamentary Committee on Education toured the university.
He said the institution presented a K212 billion budget to government for the financial year 2008 but only K62 billion was approved.
Mr. Musonda observed that the K150 billion shortfall will make it difficulty for the institution to meet some of its obligation’s.
And parliamentary Committee Chairperson, Faustina SInyangwe called for patriotism from academic staff at the institution if educational standards are to be enhanced.
ZANIS/ENDS/AH/CLM
Education is the key to a powerful African nation, so did Marcus Mosiah Garvey speak. Listen to the words of the prophet, or stay opressed forever!
Whoever is not paying tax to ZRA is foolish who is should be blacklisted because he is not in support of development the ***** is just interested in stealing the money the pay as you earn keeps on reflecting on pay slip what is the foolish BURSAR saying.
The main problem in Zambia is brain-drain. The UNZA crisis is not just a malfunction but the disaster itself. A large number of graduates in the 80s/90s became weary of jobhunting and started to elope for greener pastures leaving an intellectual vaccuum behind and this situation cannot be reversed by funding the institution. Better divert these funds in policies to make intellectuals stay (job contracts, attractive pay-rolls etc.)
Is it not a shame that UNZA is not even among the top 20 African Universities, when The University of Zimbabwe is ranking 16 despite political instability?
Nine Chale, when did the statistics about University of Zimbabwe outlined,considering that the political instability was intensified from the time of elections this year.Well,I agree UNZA’s position sucks en’ definately something should be done about it to Enhance the Educational standards.
How many times will our govt hear UNZA’s internal problems in order to do something?As long as I remember,every year,these problems r brought forward through Demonstrations en’ stuff.
our leaders have failed us. its shamefull to see former unza students (govt. officials) turn a blind eye on the institution.
The university is not even in the top 3000( yes, three thousand) educational institutions in this global community.
The goverment is busy giving away our mineral resources to west, without even taxing them. Imagine what a 10% profit tax would to improve the education system?
“During the presentation the UNZA Vice Chancellor told the Committee that out of a budget of K50 billion per year, Government only allocated a total of K4 billion to the institution.”
This information is very, very unfortunate. Please, GRZ give UNZA what is due to it so that it can produce. Also, seek ways to enticing the private and public companies to fund research activities at UNZA, not to Dr(s) only a PJs but to the institution as a whole.
Let UNZA and CBU be centres of avertising products like colgate, perfumes, drinks, etc. Students can benefit from such activities in some way.
“And UNZA Registrar ,Alvert Ng’andu said there was need for Government to inject more funds towards the operations of the institution.
Mr Ng’andu noted that challenges…”
MUST READ:
And UNZA Registrar, Dr Alvert Ng’andu (PhD) said … ‘Dr’ Ng’andu noted that challenges…
Please, LT. These are the sort of people whose REAL TITLES need to appear for they studied hard for them unlike some of the honourary DOCTORATES we see on news.
Off topic people.
Please help. What has happened to live radio streams on Coppernet? What has one got to do listen live now?
Correction: place 56
I thought the heading should be UNZA Counsels Parley. Who is more vested with education knowledge? UNZA or Parliament? In fact if our parliament should engage UNZA to research their issues and those concerning the communities.
Its high time the unza management become innovative and think like and act like business men. There are so many researches that can be done by the university and raise substantial funds for the institution. Every individual faculy, can make money if only they start thinking beyond and not limit themselves to GRZ grants. Come on unza wake up. Also the students must reason that they govt is being overstretched. Its high time you started contributing to the coffers of the university.