Education Minister Michael Kaingu has called for dialogue between the Copperbelt University council and the lecturers over the impasse surrounding the closure of the institution.
Dr. Kaingu says the Ministry of Education does not take pleasure in seeing the Copperbelt University closed because the move is has already disturbed the academic calendar.
The Minister has told ZNBC news that he does not understand why the council and lecturers are finding it hard to dialogue and move forward when the onus is upon them for the ministry to reopen the institution.
Dr. Kaingu has also bemoaned the idea of lecturers in higher learning institutions resorting into strikes as a way of airing out their grievances instead of dialogue.
Dr. Kaingu has since called on the students at the university to remain calm as the ministry is doing everything possible to ensure that the institution is reopened in due course.
On July 8th this year, Education Minister Michael Kaingu announced the indefinite closure of the university after lecturers downed tools to push for the resignation of CBU Vice-Chancellor, Naison Ngoma and the entire management for alleged failure to manage the institution.
In Zambia today, every leader is playing dumb…what a sad state of affairs…where does the buck stop? Everyone knows the problem here is money…last time I checked CBU was an underfunded government institution…please someone take responsibility or resign what’s point of paying these empty suits salaries?
@Jayjay
Good observation right there ! LT together with their PF counterparts are trying to dodge the monetary issue to paint lecturers black.
The other day I mentioned that, the bone of contention in this conflict between PF appointed CBU managers and lecturers is the fact that, government has failed to honour payment of allowances which lecturers are entitled to and have been even before PF came to power.
Kaingu, should be truthful and find the money to first pay the lecturers their allowance in arrears before any tangible solution to the CBU impasse is found.
PF ni ba chimbwi chabe.
Only UPND and HH will restore Zambia to its past glory.
Viva UPND and HH.
They are happy to make announcements about procuring a 100 brand new motor vehicles for the education sector on borrowed monies without no shame…when they can not pay lecturers a proper wage, schools in rural areas don’t have roofs, university student accommodation is derelict, pupils are sitting on the floor and using their palms to write as they have no disks….what are their priorities when you consider the price of a brand-new Toyota land-cruiser.
In politics you can either choose the right leaders to do the right things or elect the wrong leaders and beg them to do the right thing.
The situation at CBU is not about funding Iwe but the lecturers do not want Ngoma.So as a result they want him gone hence the impasse.What must be done is for our president to show leadership by sacrificing Ngoma so the sake of education.
The problem at CBU is the money from govt. not being enough and Prof. Ngoma. Prof. Ngoma is an Army officer, if you want him to head some institution take him to 5ZR not a University. Everything the man does is done through orders, threats and no consultation.
Bwana minister you are government so pliz be responsible and take responsibility. Why waste time in media statements. We are more interested in actions.Why shut the university because of one person as portrayed by the public. tell the nation wat exactly the problem is and tell us why you have to failed solve the problem. Zambia is late for development. we can’t have such prehistoric closures. you are not affected the poor family is affected.
Plus you are wasting my tax.yes my tax.
Like zesco these institutions are now run by cadres of the ruling party and hence the problems. Africans , we are a disgrace . No wonder the bible says we are a cursed people .
That’s the bible for you and its doing its work on you!!
Wake you from your docility!!
Please quote the text in the Bible where Africans are cursed. Thanks
Some men change their party for the sake of their principles; others their principles for the sake of their party. ~Winston Churchill
Mr / Prof Ngoma must know that if you are on a dancing floor and people have stopped clapping no matter what dancing style you show , you must leave. How the hell can somebody in an institution like that go to buy breathalyzers. For what and for who? Is Ngoma telling us he can do well in police or RATSA. Its time these institutions are headed by a prof. Lungu must do something since he has powers he allays abuses and boast about. I name Ngoma Mbwibi. Ask any luvale will tell you what that means. The intelligensia lecturers and students never allow that man to play with your minds.
ECL passes the buck, Micheal passes the buck, where does it stop.
Someone please show leadership.
These are the bottlenecks the constitution seeks to address. With too much power reposed in the Presidency & you have a peabrain for a President you get challenges as these.
We need to stand up as a people & reshape the destiny of our country.
The problems we face are beyond the comprehension of the current crop of politicians. So the onus lies on each & every member of the 14 million Zambians to pick up this country from the self inflicted disaster we are in.
What is required is to educate our Grandmas, papas, aunties, fathers, mothers, uncles, cousins in rural Zambia about what is required of our Politicians, merely kneeling in front of them during campaigns is not what it entails..its all about being responsible, prudent, accountable, transparent…in Zambia our politicians have it all too easy where on earth can you elect someone who confesses for having no vision?
I have come to the conclusion that politics is too serious a matter to be left to the politicians. ~Charles de Gaulle
agree with all of the above and it behooves all of us to get the work started, abantu bashibuke. the current crop of politicians is completely clueless and seriously are daft to put things lightly
Im just shocked that this ngoma (Vc) and chama (dvc) are still in office. The pf government and university council has failed to show leadership by sacking these two and management. The have built a water fountain, built a useless tent, bought 17 brand new vans at the expense library books for students, laboratory equipment, payment of retirees, building lecture rooms, offices, etc. when people say they don’t want you, you must go. CBU is now at risk of producing half baked students because there is no commitment to academic affairs. Ngoma must go or be sacked
Listening and reading the press statement by the lecturers union at CBU nearly two weeks, ago the union wrote to the Minister to present their grievance and and to seek his intervention. The Minister never replied and pretended he had not read the letter but he decided to keep quiet. Lecturers are in order to act in the way that have reacted. What dialogue does he want when he was written to as a way of opening dialogue. I now question his PhD. He should equally resign for incompetence and for failing to act accordingly. What is so special about ngoma that he appears to be more powerful than Kaingu the minister.
Ngoma is an Easterner so he is untouchable. ZRL’s Muyenga was easily removed because he is from Barotseland. Do not underrate the easterners with their Wako ni Wako.
“The Minister has told ZNBC news that he does not understand why the council and lecturers are finding it hard to dialogue and move forward when the onus is upon them for the ministry to reopen the institution”.
Why does he want to play a spectator role. He was written to and has decided to be mute on the matter. Why is he putting Ngoma and his team behind his back?
WHY IS LUNGU HIDING? THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT REQUIRES HIS ATTENTION. THE RIPPLE EFFECTS FROM THIS CRISIS WILL REACH AND AFFECT THE LIVES OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. INSTEAD HE FINDS TIME TO GO AND ATTEND PARTIES AND CELEBRATIONS IN OTHER COUNTRIES AND WILL NOT ADDRESS THE NATION ON CRITICAL MATTERS. THIS IS A CLEAR CASE OF FAILING TO LEAD. MR PRESIDENT PLEASE HELP RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. “WHERE IS THE PRESIDENT? “
Ministers “code of negotiation”:
1. Issue ultimatum with terms which are impossible to accept by any “normal” person;
2. As the terms of ultimatum are turned down, close university;
3. Publicly put the blame on other part because of theirs “intransigence”;
4. Send the Police to enforce closure;
5. After public outcry, ask for dialogue!!!
What bunch of uneducated pillocks.
Back minister I thought that should have been done before closing ,is this the planing you are bringing,no wonder you are a useless father
The main problem is political meddling in the institution, why appoint an army officer as chancellor when he should be protecting the nation. CBU is not a war zone. Ask him to go and look for IS in Middle East if he is man enough. The man has provoked lectures for a long time,trying to bully them. Lecturers salaries are now erratic due to him. Let him go
Some one tell me: Is this a photograph of buildings at The Copperbelt University in Zambia? They look so decrepit, and run-down – like hostels in a squatter-camp, or one of those old apartheid workers’ hostels in Johannesburg. When this institution was called “The Zambia Institute of Technology”, it was so beautiful and well maintained. This makes me very sad……
KK was a bully alright but he was decisive. By now this CBU closure would have been sorted out just like yesterday.KK would call a press conference and use all those North, South East and West terms.The students would have been in class by last Friday. What is going on now with PF is very shameful. There is no one to make a decision because people do not know who is in charge. This Naison Ngoma is just a buffoon.Any serious academician should have graciously left by now for the sake of Zambia. The Students, support and the academic staff have all said the same thing…..poor administration from a soldier. The minister has already taken a side by removing Mr. Songolo from the university council instead of removing Prof. Ngoma. Mr. Songolo was representing the lecturers not himself.Shame!
Except for the sad fate of these young Zambian students what also breaks my heart are those dilapidated dorms in the background. How can the housing at an institute of higher learning look like the slums of Mogadishu after those al shabaab idióts performed their ritualistic savage havoc?