Minister Kaingu, I hope this correspondence finds you in good health. I am writing to you to express my concern as a Zambian Citizen on the closure of Copperbelt University.
My name is George Nshindano Mtonga II. I was born at Ndola Central Hospital and grew up in Kabushi Constituency Masala Ward ( Masala Compound). I’m concerned at the fact that our developmental goals as a nation are forsaking the need for our children to be educated. While development comes in many forms the basis is the education of citizens. An estimated 14, 000 students are out of school because of your ministry’s decision to close Copperbelt University.
Education for most young men such as myself is not just a matter of going to school, but an opportunity to take our families out of poverty. From Masala Compound I have been able to travel the world and attain university degrees because the world around me wanted me to succeed. I have worked hard, and only hard work has determined were I am today in life. As an investment banker based in the USA, I have been able to help my family and friends, and contributed to my community by sponsoring young women finish primary and secondary school all because I was given a chance at an education. We are taking this away from our children at Copperbelt University.
When I look at Zambia, I have stopped reading myself into her future because my future was fought in 1991 when great men and women decided that posterity would benefit from a democratic society. The freedoms earned through that struggle is what I enjoy now. With that same spirit I’m inclined to support initiatives that favor our young Zambians considering that they will be the ones leading our country in the coming years. Closing the university they are attending is shooting ourselves in the foot; because it undercuts the fundamentals of developmental economics: an educated citizenry.
Management and Lecturers at Copperbelt University can reach a meaningful settlement of their issues while our children continue to go to school. Zambia is no longer an isolated country, the world is global and our university graduates are competing with the world not just local universities. WE NEED to give them the leverage to represent our country in the many professions they will be entering. WE NEED to start prioritizing our children’s education and ensure that they are equipped with the skills to succeed in an economy that is more global than local.
Your leadership is needed on this issue to ensure that our children go back to school.Many of these young academics are the first in their families to attend university; lets not take away that achievement merely because we can’t come to a meaningful conclusion on whats going on at CBU.
I am encouraged that your leadership on this issue will be nothing but outstanding and will reflect your continued commitment to education and the need to equip posterity with the foundation to take our country into a brighter future.
YOUR FAITHFUL CITIZEN,
George Nshindano Mtonga II
Masala Compound
Kulibonesha, I’m a janitor in smyrna Ga, if these kids want education they must behave.
Ndeke do you have to behaviour yourself to get paid your janitor salary. Answer is a big No, you have a right to be paid. Same with the students they have a right to an education. Kaingu is just a public servant and he has no right to close a university. Advise your chaps in government to take care of people especially students.What are they going to tell people next year, vote for you to close schools. These things come to haunt you. For once government do the right thing. That’s the writer’s plea, you number one priority is people’s welfare not useless punishments.
“A book is the most effective weapon against intolerance and ignorance.” Lyndon Baines Johnson
No one gives advice with more enthusiasm and less knowledge than an ignorant person and, too often, an educated person is someone who knows how to be ignorant “intelligently”. It’s all right to be ignorant about some things, but it’s ridiculous to make a career of it. John Rayoa
“No skill is more crucial to the future of a child, or to a democratic and prosperous society, than literacy.” Los Angeles Times
“Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper.” Robert Frost
“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.” Thomas Jefferson
“Education is not the…
The university seeks answers from government and the minister should manage the situation….that minister is well fed with two wives…. very good…..do your job now…..
Hi,
I know this guy George Mtonga is a pathological liar who need serious redemption. Some of you who have read his Facebook status, he claim to have toiled, he never lived in Masala, he went to expensive school at Muzi High School. He writes things on Facebook and a week later he forgets. George learn to humble yourself, don’t just write things for attention sake. Your mouth is full of verbal diarhea it must be treated before it kills your own reputation. Ba George muleke ubufumu don’t fool us who really suffered. Learn to speak the truth and the it shall set you free. Be yourself, don’t just write things for attention. A lot of people who read your Facebook laughs at you coz u don’t make sense in ceratin things. You always praise yourself, let people exalt you. Stop lying!!
I see nothing wrong with this letter and if you claim to know him that well say it to his face. At least he’s doing doing something positive than the people who are laughing at him.
Students are sent away from school ,teachers have stopped going to school because they are not yet paid,therefore,no transport money,graduates are not yet employed.What a government of the PF.
The PF Government and Dr. Kaingu have no capacity to address the challenges of the universities in this country. The solution lies in:
1. Accurately determining the cost of providing higher education of an acceptable standard. This entails eliminating many irrelevant costs from the university cost structure (see point 4 below);
2. Charging cost reflective tuition fees;
3. Implementing the student loan system;
4. Resolving the current outrageous pension system of the universities, paying off arrears and implementing a new pension system that is realistic.
Dr. Kaingu and the PF Government can’t do these things!
Mr Mtonga also consider the irresponsible behaviour of some lecturers at CBU who among other things report for lectures drunk, spend most of semester time doing consultancy work at the expense of the hapless students.
When the Vice Chancellor institutes measures to curb the vices, he is ridiculed and maligned by the same lecturers.
Government should have instead identified and dealt with the malcotents instead of sending the Vice away.
What is this nonsense of open letter open letter. Open letter to EL, open letter to HH open letter to so and so. Get to work stop you lazy guys. Who wants to read open letter?
Thank for writing to the minister George well done these people are messing about with Education I was recently in Zambia UNZA is in a big mess but they decided to go and build new Universities in Northern province how are going to buy books, pay the teachers and accommodation with all that comes with this? Why not fix what you have first. Very upset Zambian.
George splendid indeed! Sometimes I am at cross roads to either blame politicians or academicians for prblems at our Universities.
In some cases Lecturers go on strike over petty issues like the lack of Toilet tissue in their staff Toilet.
Lecturers like chilling whisky insteady of working and go on strike because they still get their full salaries.
These guys do not even have anything to exhibit at the local and international Trade Fairs because cant find time to be in the Lab.
Remove Trade Unionism in the country and things will normalised.
We have paid for our Children to learn if the *****s dont want to teach let them resign.
Br Umberto visit the university yourself and see for yourself, the conditions in which these people work instead of trivilizing their concerns. just being honest, the people who closed the place don’t value education look at their priorities travelling and doing things to fool the uneducated masses they are working.