Alert police officers in Kabwe thwarted an attempt by students at Mulungushi University from damaging property after a management circular was issued instructing students to start sharing rooms.
The irate students blocked the main road inside Mulungushi University and lit a fire. This caused panic among lecturers forcing them to lock themselves in Vice Chancellor Professor Vernon Chinene’s office for over two hours.The students refused to back off.
On Tuesday night, the main campus was cordoned off by plain clothed police officers.
The circular alerts students that they should prepare to start sharing rooms in August this year because there would be a shortage of space in view of new students enrolment.
Central Province Commissioner of Police Solomon Jere said the situation was calm after police engaged the union leaders and management.
Dr Jere said police would continue to monitor the situation and urged the students to remain calm as management attempts to resolve the problem of accommodation.
When contacted, professor Chinene said the students’ protest was uncalled for protest although the circular which instigated the unrest has been removed pending further instructions from the ministry of education.
Last week over 353 Copperbelt University students staged a protest for non-payment of meal allowances since the academic year opened 5 weeks ago.
The students gave the bursaries committee 24 hours ultimatum to pay the remaining amount failure to which they would boycott classes.
The students matched from the campus on Jambo Drive to Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation where they blocked the entrance and some students openly wept that they were starving.
The students condemned the bursaries committee for ineffectiveness in dealing with the student’s allowances.
Copperbelt University Students Union president Thompson Luzendi said the government should deal with the bursaries committee alleged inertia when dealing with students issues.
“The committee is so effective, how does it expect the students to survive with the allowances,” Mr Luzendi said.
But when contacted education minister John Phiri said he was not aware that some students were not paid their allowances.
Meanwhile Lecturers at Mansa Trades Training Institute have protested over the 10% salary increment offered to them by management.
The lecturers, who stormed ZANIS offices in Mansa complained that it is unfair for management to offer them a 10% salary increment.They are demanding an increment of between K600,000 and K1,000,000 across the board.
The lecturers are also demanding, among other things, the auditor’s report which was released recently to be made public and have vowed never to go back for work until their grievances are met.
A check by ZANIS at the institution this yesterday found lecturers singing songs denouncing the Lecturers and Support Services Union at the institution.
Speaking to ZANIS earlier, Lecturers and Support Services Union Chairperson, Julius Chilufya, said the union has tried to address the lecturers over their grievances but nothing has materialized.
Mr Chilufya said the union has managed to put in place conditions of service for the lecturers which have not been there since 2010 but the lecturers seem not to appreciate the efforts of the union.
The students at the institution have rallied behind the lecturers.The students, who gathered at the administration block, say the reasons advanced by the lecturers, are genuine and need agent attention.Student Union president, Mukubulo Chilufya, said the students at the institution are not happy with the way the institution is being run.
Mr Chilufya said it is sad that the infrastructure and equipment at the institution has remained unattended to for a long time and graduates half backed students.
VIVA UKWA
ooh vote wisely
Ukwa should go back to his Victoria station job. He should take his useless relatives with him. These nepotists and tribalists cannot run a country! Chimbwi no plan indeed! Ukwa London is calling! Go back to your old job!
How do you share a room?? Its only a sign of over enrollment. If you wish to enroll more students whats wrong with building more hostels(levels) or engaging boarding houses ?? CBU and UNZA have done it
Do you have the money to build more hostels we are a poor country and we would accept that.
Zambia is not poor, that 14 billion gotten by Mmembe en nchito can easily build the hostels am talking about..Look at what 4.5billion can build referring to the 4 star hotel built by former energy and Water Development minister Kenneth Konga
Sad that people are more concerned about having to share a room than what the increased enrollment means for class sizes and quality of education.
more students more money and more profits, low quality and quantity education. # 4 champ..room size also contributes to low quality education.
How? Are the residence halls presently so very quite that is the only place you can possibly study? My guess is that most students out there throwing rocks are more concerned about not being able to bonk their girlfriend in a private room whenever they want.
Planning problems. Again both short term and long term solutions urgently required across the board. There will be no job satisfaction with just a raised pay and hungry students in over crowded conditions. It sounds a little like each man for himself when their common denominator is an infusion of finances and resources required. Damaging the facility is not progressive and would only serve to make things worse. Frustration is endemic throughout the education system as it is .
Yaya,tats not good for Ukwa Chimbwi No plan` government.
What has Sata got to do with? HH is Dolika Ndaifulila
Its got everything to do with Sata and his gov’t @jabbs, that’s why they in power!
Solution:
Build new accommodation for the students which will create jobs. duh!!!!!!!!
I can see there is No plan and no budget for development in these areas as well?
Backward thinking: ati they can share!!
They are the future!! so look after them!!!!!
Mulungushi University is Government but its Privately run so it generates its on income therefore it is Not Sata’s Problem but the problem with management. Accommodation is still being built, It would have been better to finish the accommodation first then enroll a larger number of students rather than what they have done. On the other hand am not in favour of any protests of student at any level.
VIVA UKWA !!! VIVA CBU !!!
LET THEM LEARN A LESSON !!! MORE LESSONS COMING !!!
INSIDERS INFOR: UKWA IS ABOUT TO CANCEL BC !!! U WILL BE EATING FROM THE DINGO !!!
It is right for students to oppose bad management decisions. You cannot go on increasing student numbers without corresponding expansion in the facilities. The stories we hear about UNZA (and Evelyn Hone College) are heartbreaking. They were such wonderful institutions when we were there in the late 70’s and early 80’s. My advice to the students is just beat the bums if they don’t realise the damage they are causing!
UPND cadres want Sata to have all sorts of problems but for them winning an election is a pipe dream. With or without Mr. Sata it is PF nafuti nafuti…Tonga party = Hakaende Hakaivotele
THIS COUNTRY IS NOT ONLY FOR BEMBAS. ZAMBIA IS BIGGER THAN BEMBAS.
Lets be honest, at the rate PF are going: No Plan & No Budget!!, blaming and excuses Zambia will never develop. So when do we start moving forward? When do we start progressing? And yes, Zambia is in a mess, but it shouldn’t be!! that’s what’s annoying. The problem with Zambia is, we have had no politicians with a passion for the people and the country as their priority! Think about! It’s sad. The only people who have benefited or are benefiting are the elite and the foreigners, who make their money and deposit it abroad and rob the ordinary man of what they deserve i.e Development for all!!!! Some politicians have become rich at the expense of being in power. Wake up Zambia!!! Its tooooooooo much. Enough! PF get to work!!
Lets be honest, at the rate PF are going: No Plan & No Budget!!, blaming and excuses Zambia will never develop. So when do we start moving forward? When do we start progressing? And yes, Zambia is in a mess, but it shouldn’t be!! that’s what’s annoying. The problem with Zambia is, we have had no politicians with a passion for the people and the country as their priority! Think about! It’s sad. The only people who have benefited or are benefiting are the elite and the foreigners, who make their money and deposit it abroad and rob the ordinary man of what they deserve i.e Development for all!!!! Some politicians have become rich at the expense of being in power. Wake up Zambia!!! Enough! PF get to work!!
Lets be honest, at the rate PF are going: No Plan & No Budget!!, blaming and excuses Zambia will never develop. So when do we start moving forward? When do we start progressing? And yes, Zambia is in a mess, but it shouldn’t be!! that’s what’s annoying. The problem with Zambia is, we have had no politicians with a passion for the people and the country as their priority! Think about! It’s sad. The only people who have benefited or are benefiting are the elite and the foreigners, who make their money and deposit it abroad and rob the ordinary man of what they deserve i.e Development for all!!!! Some politicians have become rich at the expense of being in power. Wake up Zambia!!!
Lets be honest, at the rate PF are going: No Plan & No Budget!!, blaming and excuses Zambia will never develop. So when do we start moving forward? When do we start progressing? And yes, Zambia is in a mess, but it shouldn’t be!! that’s what’s annoying. The problem with Zambia is, we have had no politicians with a passion for the people and the country as their priority! Think about! It’s sad >>>
ok sorry L.T thought you were banning my comments like W……D. Must have written too much.>>>
>>>>> The only people who have benefited or are benefiting are the elite and the foreigners, who make their money and deposit it abroad and rob the ordinary man of what they deserve i.e Development for all!!!! Some politicians have become rich at the expense of being in power. Wake up Zambia!!! Its tooooooooo much. Enough! PF get to work!!
The only people who have benefited or are benefiting are the elite and the foreigners, who make their money and deposit it abroad and rob the ordinary man of what they deserve i.e Development for all!!!! Some politicians have become rich at the expense of being in power. Wake up Zambia!!!. Enough! PF get to work!
The CNP party will blame HH for all these things happening. GBM instruct the IG to investigate the students!
As at unza the sharing business is very normal.what are u protesting ba Ba Chimbwi.
Foolish UNZA student do you know anything called standards and quality education?? Dont expose your grade twelve leakage here
Let the school build more hostels or outsource. The fees that students pay is a calculated figure (I hope), that takes into account, lodging, food, study materials and salaries for the lecturers.
Otherwise we all truely are CNP.
The President must set up a commission of inquiry. And the Minister of Defence must instruct the Inspector General of Police to investigate the source of the problems in higher institutions of learning. Zambia in the sun, Zambia the real Africa, Zambia….
Are students worried of sharing a room or a bed? whats wrong in sharing a room? Dont be selfish let others also get some skills by enroling a the so called mulungushi village university.
It is about two weeks now when the Minister of Education, science vocational training and early education carelessly issued a statement blaming school heads for the riotous behaviour by pupils. It should be noted that the root cause of all these is not poor leadership, but lack of necessary amenities coupled with indiscipline exhibited by some badly brought up individuals. I can sight some examples of institutions: Nkrumah university, Evelyn Hone college where a room meant for two people is shared by six (6) people! What do you expect from students in such situations? Can you blame the administrators if there is a demonstration in regard to poor accommodation takes place? Dig deeper before a blame is put on some section of people.