GOVERNMENT has invested about K83.2 billion in infrastructure development at the Mulungushi University in Kabwe, Zambia’s third highest Government learning institution.
The university is still in its infancy in terms of infrastructure expansion, but the enrolment for students has steadily been increasing since the launch in 2008.
Mulungushi University vice chancellor Vernon Chinene said in an interview in Kabwe on April 6 that Government is spending K83.2 billion on the construction of new infrastructure to enhance the capacity of the institution.
Professor Chinene said the K83.2 billion will see the construction of four three-storey students’ hostels to increase bed capacity to 480, a new lecture theater, a new dining hall and a three-storey students’ library.
The lecture theatre will take 300 students at a time, while the new dining hall is expected to accommodate 300 students at a time.
Prof Chinene said the Mulungushi University senate is happy with the infrastructure development taking place at the institution.
He said while the policy of Government is to have a self-sustaining university, the authorities have continued to pump money into the improvement of the learning environment.
The construction of the students’ hostels, the lecture theater and students’ library is expected to be completed by March next year.
Prof Chinene urged Government to continue supporting Mulungushi University because it has a limited income base to sustain its operations. He also appealed to Government to consider facilitating the involvement of the private sector in the development of the infrastructure at the institution.
“Residential accommodation for students has been the biggest challenge for Mulungushi University. We have about 606 full-time students, but we cannot afford to have all of them in residence. However, we are happy that Government has invested K83.2 billion in the expansion of infrastructure at the institution,” Prof Chinene said.
He said the construction of the dining hall and student hostels will gobble K63 billion, while the library and lecture theatre will cost K20.2 billion.
Prof Chinene said Mulungushi University is regarded as expensive because Government’s policy is that students should sponsor themselves fully.
Government does not offer bursary schemes to students at the university and, therefore, they have to pay all their fees for the programmes they are pursuing.
“Mulungushi has been a fee-paying university and that is Government policy but, of course, we have students who are sponsored by some non-governmental organisations and private companies. But most of all, the university is expected to be financially self-sustaining, and this is why the fees are comparatively high,” Prof Chinene said.
He said Mulungushi University is proud to have the capacity to host the head of State for three days and that the institution is the only one with presidential facilities in Zambia.
mulungushi chilibwe,mulungushi chilibwe yonse myaka chilaleto buntungwa.
tukasala ba kaunda, tukasala ba kaunda yonse mya balaleto buntungwa.
oh, i miss that place, when it was PCC back in 1988, when we were kaunda’s vuvuzelas
Ba MMD why give the money this time of the year? Give the same money to CBU, UNZA, EVELYN HONE etc in PF strongholds. VJ campaign strategy will not work this year. Ifwe nipa bwato
Rhetoric every other day, this amount here, this amount there, Just do what you have been mandated to not vaupuba bakabwa!!
Why start mentioning these projects now as if the Government is about to give them money to commence construction? Truth is these projects have been on going for the past 3 years. I supervised their construction. What they should have said is that the facilities are about to be handed over. Mulefwaya tulemona kwati namwamba uku bomba kumulandu waka election. Muli mu chibe. Mwa blocker na Magande, Shaka’s, Mpombo na Mupaipi, lwenu mukosepo.
How about some pictures of the institution please so we can see visualize what they are talking about
Mulungushi University is in Kapiri district but near Kabwe. So you Jounalists should learn to say Mulungushi University “near Kabwe” and not ” in Kabwe”
This is great. Continue investing in education H.E.R.B. This is great for the Zambian economy.
The MMD GOVERNMENT seem to be panicing. Its shameful that the president can be talting about president can be talking about the projects that were initiated by the late WISE PRESIDENT,may his soul rest in peace. Ino yena tabaipule,kuya bebele.