Higher Education Minister Professor Nkandu Luo has said that her ministry does not and will not support the hike in fees at the University of Zambia (UNZA).
The University of Zambia (UNZA) has increased accommodation fees for the 2017/2018 academic year from K1, 200 to K3, 900 representing a 100 per cent hike from last academic year and further hiked tuition fees by between 3,000 and 5,000 Kwacha across all programmes.
Professor Luo stated that there is no way that there can be an increment of more than 100 percent in fees suddenly.
She has explained that there are rules and regulations that should be followed whenever the university or an institution wishes to hike fees and one of the rules is to consult with the ministry.
Prof Luo has disclosed that her ministry was not consulted over the hike and is still waiting to be consulted for it to state its position on whether the fees are valid or not.
However, the University of Zambia, Vice Chancellor Luke Mumba has said that all procedures were followed and relevant stakeholders were consulted in the process of revising accommodation and user fees.
Commenting on Minister of Higher Education Prof Nkandu Luo’s claims that the Ministry was not consulted, Prof Mumba said all stakeholders including the ministry were part of the process that reached at the current revised accommodation and user fees for students.
“Governance of UNZA is done through committees and the Ministry of Higher Education is represented in the council committee, moreover we wrote to the permanent secretary on the matter, so it is really unfortunate and surprising that the minister was unaware of how we reached at the adjustments which she says are unreasonable,” he said.
Prof Mumba told the media in an interview that management had an obligation to run the institution and the University council made adjustments to fees to keep the institution running.
“We cannot not run without adequate funding so as regards to accommodation fees we did a survey and we discovered that we had the lowest accommodation fees in the country but the living conditions at the hostels are pathetic. Students are paying K1,200 a year which is K100 a month so the council saw a need to increase the fees to provide a better service,” Prof Mumba.
Prof Mumba said that no adjustments were made to tuition fees adding that only user fees such as examination fees, sports fees, medical fees and internet fees were revised to improve the services at the institution.
“The UNZA council decided to adjust these fees upwards because they were too low as a result some necessities were expensive for the university to provide, for example internet services, UNZA pays K15 million per year and students only contribute K4.6 million,” he said.
He said that management’s duty was to run UNZA on behalf of Government and the people of Zambia and if government was of the view that the fees were too high they should engage the University council
Very good. You are working minister.
I have NO respect for UNZA
I remember when I was in grade 5, because i was this much intelligent I was asked to go to grade 7, where I for 689 which was the highest at the time in the copper-belt
People, I am not showing off, but I got 24 points in grade 12 and easily passed to go to grade 10 (388 points) and thus I consider myself a genius
I am surprised how easy it is mow grade 8’s and all these silly trucks missing all pointing to leakages I left when i left Zambia considering I have on and completed my PhD
I feel UNZA is underneath me
Thanks
BB2014,2016
Mushota, kindly translate what you’ve written above into English. Thanks
@Mushota,
you are plainly sick – we don’t want to hear about YOU, and YOU, and YOU. If you have to say anything about the topic under discussion, GIVE it, otherwise just keep quiet!
@the chosen one
That’s @mushota for you writing PhD English
Kekekekekekeke!!
Ooh, It is o cold today and the temperature is 4 degrees. I hate winters in the United Kingdom.
Nkandu Luo is an illegal MP, let alone a Minister.
She is my grandmother ( a first line relation) so I will refrain from saying any more than I should.
I trust president Lungu , seeing he will be the President until 2026.
I hold a PhD
Thanks
BB2014,2016
Mushota – how do you pass grade 12 with 24 points and then go to grade 10 ??????????????????????????????
BUT, FOR HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE GOVERNMENT TO IMPLEMENT STUDENT LOANS SYSTEM TO GUARANTEE STUDENTS A PLACE AT UNI AND ALSO GUARANTEE FUNDS TO RUN UNIVERSITIES ON THE PART OF GOVERNMENT? BEST IDEAS TAKE A LIFE TIME TO TAKE OFF IN ZAMBIA.
A person with average intelligence like Mushota cannot defend Lungu’s Ministers in all the mess they are inflicting the poor Zambians on. Is Lungu and sound minded President or a mediocre pauper masquerading as a president? MC Sata called them useless, then I did not understand.
Pro.Luke Mumba is being in subordinate to authorities and should be fired and let him go into Private University…UNZA is owned by the Government of Zambia…Apart from his extravangance he’s also arrogant…
In addition it does not mean that when an official from the Ministry sits on a committee then the Minister or Government will rubber stamp the unreasonable increase…
@ Zakeyo, do you have an internal problem? What constitutes insubordination to you?
You people should understand that Accomodation fees for UNZA are by far lower than those at NIPA, Evelyn Hone or even NRDC. Honestly what can a K100 do interms of helping sanitation and repairs in the Hotels. On this one try to understand the UNZA management.
UNZA, as I understand, is currently underfunded. Student accommodation is heavily subsidised by UNZA management. That money can go to other pressing matters. As someone has already pointed out, UNZA accommodation is ridiculously low compared to some colleges in Lusaka. If Mrs Luo is against increments, then she should lobby her govt to increase the grant allocated to the institution. UNZA management should also be prudent in the use of the meagre resources. This should start with management; your send a wrong picture when you’re buying a personal-to-holder car for the Vice Chancellor worth K1m. Even if that’s an entitlement, a good manager would look at the prevailing economic situation.
This is wisdom Chosen One.
The problem is you cant think that govt. can loot the coffers and then still have enough money to increase grants for schooling…….stop stealing and then there would be enough money for educaiton
@ Chosen
I hope this pro can read your views. That is what is termed as being in touch with reality when you accept to forgo your entitlement in order to cushion certain pressures.
Well said…. It’s saddening at how affairs are being handled at UNZA. The question i have is to whether the decisions made, are based on genuine people centered motives. Again it comes back to the aspect of we as Zambians being adequately informed. It’s as a result of ignorance that some of these decisions seem to appear normal to the majority. All in all I agree with your line of thought.
Good one PRO, 100% increase was unjustifiable for several students
everything has gone polical in zambian,
“Governance of UNZA is done through committees and the Ministry of Higher Education is represented in the council committee, moreover we wrote to the permanent secretary on the matter, so it is really unfortunate and surprising that the minister was unaware of how we reached at the adjustments which she says are unreasonable,” he said.
What I dont understand is that govt is a stakeholder in UNZA ..why do they wait for Unza Management to announce then come and quash it? Why dont they do it even before its announced?
Because the government is full of pathetic liars like this Luo lady trying to sound like she’s all for the welfare of students when clearly her Ministry was involved thru the consultation process that came up with the fee increment in order that UNZA can provide a better service to students in a cost effective and economic manner.
UNZA is trying to make ends meet because of the very Minister who has failed to fund UNZA. Everything ni-politics what a shame ba-Minister.
Disaster!
Privatize the darn thing
There’s so much confusion between Mumba and Luo. No one seems to know their boundaries. She’s saying UNZA should consult her Ministry, and he’s saying her Ministry should engage the UNZA Council. Both of them should be fired. My opinion.
THE UNIVERSITY IS NOW NOT FOR THE INTELLIGENT BUT THE RICH. No wonder the students are specialized in unrest sponsored by their equally rich politicians. When these guys finally graduate the come out as raw as cabbage from my garden.
It’s likely the permanent secretary didn’t report to the minister.
For accom k100 is just to low looking at numbers at unza
That is a Zambian professor for u
KEEP TALKING WHILE OTHER PIPO ARE EVEN FAILING TO AFFORD EATING 3 TIMES A DAY OR ONCE
The issue at UNZA is bigger than meets the eye and needs a bold person to manage and political intimidation is not healthy for the institution. We must realise that it costs money to run universities. I think UNZA must focus on its core business and hostels, though important, is none core. UNZA needs to look at cost efficiency also. I feel there are too many employees in non-core areas. But where will the money to shake hands with such employees come from? I empathise with UNZA management. Please save our institution from total collapse. Let’s brainstorm and share ideas to help out. I believe UNZA has great minds and potential to overcome these challenges. By the way, I am a proud product of UNZA!!!
For heaven’s sake, UNZA management needs our full support. The institution is in a mess. Look folks, PUPILS at Mpelembe, Chengelo, Baobab and Thornhill pay higher fees than STUDENTS at UNZA per academic year. Give Professor Mumba a break and support him for showing the guts to tell it as it is. Eight (8) students at UNZA sleep in one room which was designed for 2 students. The toll on toilets and sanitation in general has been a disaster. Students study under Eucalyptus grandis (gum trees) instead of in the library which is so hot, under-stocked and woefully inadequate and you are here condemning Mumba? Give me a break!
Unza has so much land even within the campus itself – Land on which they could have entered into Public Private Partnerships with a LOT of private investors to build accommodation units and equate demand to supply.But the Bureaucratic- Technocratic institution still clings on to the old old accommodation units built by the Government ages ago and not a single Professor of all the many Professors Unza has produced has dared drive the institution into investment for accommodation units for the student. Yea and the irony is that one Professor is driving a K1 million’s worth of a car – just how many simple student accommodation units would K1 million build? Moreover they accommodation units will be paying back The K1 million car is just depreciating. The saddest thing is that UNZA has been…
Which private investor can invest if rentals are K100 per month? Even the K3, 900 per year cannot attract private capital!
Is it true that this lady is a Professor? Which quality of accommodation can you pay off even at K3, 900 per year I.e. K325 per month? No wonder UNZA infrastructure is dilapidated! Can we be serious for once!
that woman does not know anyhting about UNZA..she’s just too busy with her petition…she just signed without reading..lol..viva UNZA
The minister is right…
I would not support the increase in tuition fees but for accommodation it it justifiable. How can one be paying K100 per month. It is very stupid of this minister and her friends to buy fire tenders at K1 million and say K100.00 accommodation fees per month is okey at Unza. I have relatives and friends whose dependants are paying between K800 and 1200 per month per bed space which translates to K16,000.00 and K14,400.00 in boarding houses because of lack of boarding space at Unza. No wonder Unza is what it is because of these dull politicians. Let them charge as low as K50 per month as long as finance the servicing of the University there will be no problem. Are you crazy mwefupuba imwee. Fund Unza properly and there will be such increases.
Stop this increase at Unza I can assure that come next year there will problems ba koswe becuase of lack of funding. Unions may just conclude salary negotiations where is the money going to come from. No funding from government to pay emoluments will also results in workers striking. where is the logic kolwe. Are these politicians really normal?
A team of Auditors from Auditor-General’s Office must be assigned to undertake a forensic audit to ascertain if Unza’s Central Administration spends funds in accordance to the set-out annual budget lines. Unza’s Senior Officers make frequent trips overseas at the peril of teaching requisites. The purported hikes in fees is Unza’s Staff strategy to spend more money on foreign trips. Besides, since Chief Executives of the Public Universities are obliged to seek the permission of the Minister to travel out of the Station, it is within the power vested in the Minister of Education to curtail such extravagant trips. It has become a norm for staff to draw more super allowances often in excess of their monthly salaries.