FIRST Lady Esther Lungu has visited the Copperbelt University (CBU) and expressed concern over the continued closure of higher learning institutions and how this is disrupting the academic calendar.
Mrs Lungu said it is important to ensure that peace prevails in higher learning institutions for students to complete their studies within the scheduled time.
“If we keep on closing these institutions, then the programmes which we have will be disturbed and our children will not complete their studies on time,” she said.
Mrs Lungu was speaking in Kitwe yesterday when she paid a courtesy call on CBU vice-chancellor Naison Ngoma at his office.
She said as a mother of the nation, she is interested in ensuring that students in higher learning institutions get good quality education.
Mrs Lungu said she will also endeavour to mentor the students in these institutions to ensure that peace prevails on campuses to allow for smooth running of the academic calendar.
The First Lady also urged politicians not to use students for selfish gains but to leave them alone so that they concentrate on their studies.
Mrs Lungu assured Professor Ngoma that as a mother, she will visit the university when it re-opens to have a motherly talk with the students.
Prof Ngoma said the university was forced to close prematurely because of the unruly behaviour of the students.
“We miss our students, but we were forced to close because of the high levels of indiscipline. It reached an extent of students fighting with police officers,” he said.
The CBU and University of Zambia in Lusaka were closed indefinitely last month following violent protests by students over partial payment of meal allowances.
This notion of “mother of the nation” must come to an end. Who told her that she is the mother of Zambia?
Why is she concerned? Simply speak to your husband to open the universities. Not long ago around Chirundu, the first lady was bragging of being quicker than Amos Chanda in delivering concerns to the President. Hypocrites make me sick, literally. The woman sleeps in the same bed with the guy who closed the Institutions and now she goes to the Press to act like she is very concerned!! Speak to your husband and spare us this fake publicity..
Madam first lady please give this vital information to the President and his minister of higher education.
Really, you mean she doesn’t know UNZA was closed by the instruction of her drunkard Husband ! Taking Zambians for a Joke I swear
This just shows you the closure of the unis was done by not one person. It took wide consultation with brainy people to arrive at the conclusion of their closures. What lead to closures according to the vice chancellor is the high level of indiscipline and unruly behaviour ignited by political interference in the name of Upnd.
Otherwise my dear sober stundents don’t worry much though painful to lose time academically. The best is coming.
Stop insulting our intelligence madam first lady. The person who ordered the closure of these universities is your husband, he is the one you should be talking to.
You should be having this conversation with your husband and that big fat sellout Kaingu.
We are not stup1d.
There was no load shedding either as she visited the city. Hubby closed the uni but switched the lights on just for you, girl. Abuse of power. Pun intended. No points for a romantic gesture when the intended recipient disses you by questioning your decision while pretending not to know you made it…
Losers, you mean the First Lady cannot show affection for her country and its citizens and students. And who told you UPND cadres that she does not know that the two universities were closed by government? In your warped thinking who else can close the universities?
It seems that to be UPND is a curse from both God and Allah.
You started so well I actually thought you were going to make a good, strong case for ‘affection’…
If you have been on this site as long as I have you will realise being against is not the same as having a political affiliation with the opposition. For example some like me generally don’t like ‘politicians’ but still want Zed to break bad habits and progress. The cycle of bad habit is mainly political which results in bad management decisions. Such as in this case. They have made their point. What is the reason for continued closure that has even got Mrs ED hot under the collar?
@ Wise head,
… who else can close universities? Have you ever heard of a body called University Senate? That body has the power to close a university without even consulting the government. I know that in Zambia the opposite is what prevails, which is quite absurd. This is the reason why most people here are saying her approach does not make sense because she knows the person(s) who closed the universities.
U are an ***** pfool supporta wo support stupid things, y dont she tel ha husband 2 open the two universities if she is so concerned, vote upnd for a better zambia
#just open CBU and UNZA..
“The First Lady also urged politicians not to use students for selfish gains but to leave them alone so that they concentrate on their studies.”
Why can she tell her dull lazy bum husband this..
The university closure is not only the fult of the students, unrully as they are. Believe me when I say “An Hungry Man is an Angry Man”. Government you left those kids for almost 4 months without there Meal allowance , what do you expect. Can you as a parent leave your kids to starv and come after 4 months to give them half, and the painful part is some were paid and others have not seen a kobo. Imagine if it was your unrully Son (kaili politicians are known for breeding bad seeds). Can’t he shoot you with that gun you have kept careless in your home.
We all make stupid mistakes which we live to regret, am sure they have. But please pay their allowance on time even if it means weekly, they are kids and in school teti balime chibwabwa in the back yard to survive like us. FEEL FOR THEM…
HH is the culprit here. Have you ever heard him talk about unis closures. His cadres were held in the fracas which lead to the closures in case you are scared to mention it. Knowing HH with his like for the media he would have paraded intl and diplomats already just to talk about the unis closure.
Prof Naison is very dull. He is behaving as if he played any role in the decision to close the Unis. He should advocate for re-opening not what he is yapping about just to keep his fake job.
Mother of the Nation has spoken and has been heard. Today we gave some resolution dialog which has made good decisions.