President Edgar Lungu has directed the Ministry of Higher Education to make Kwame Nkrumah University in Kabwe district of Central Province a flagship university in the training of teachers.
Mr Lungu said this is because education and teachers in particular shape the country’s economy.
President Lungu issued the directive today when he commissioned the completed expansion works on Kwame Nkrumah University.
Mr Lungu said the commissioning of the expansion works signified the desire of the Patriotic Front government to assure quality livelihoods to the people of Zambia through the development of human capital.
ZANIS reports that President Lungu assured that his government remains committed to ensuring economic growth in the country premised on appropriately skilled and educated people.
“I am aware that the plan to put up infrastructure at Kwame Nkrumah was initiated long time ago, although the process was slow due to limited resources at the time,” he said.
Mr Lungu paid tribute to late President Michael Sata, whose desire he said was to see the expansion of the higher education sub sector.
He said the PF government does not only envisage providing access to education but also quality and relevant education which responds to the issues affecting the country.
He added that his government was already responding to the higher education sector through the seventh national development plan which places the premium on education and skills development.
The Head of State emphasized that education opens up opportunities in life and it is a key requisite to national development and prosperity, including the well-being of the nation.
President Lungu reiterated his government will remain committed to fulfilling the promise to the people of Zambia and deliver quality devices to all parts of the country.
He reminded that the PF government promised to construct at least one university in each of the ten provinces, adding that so far seven have been constructed and are operational.
“Those that are operational are one in Muchinga, two in Lusaka, two in the Copperbelt and two others in Central Province,” he said.
Speaking earlier, Minister of Higher Education, Nkandu Luo, called on students who will enroll at Kwame Nkrumah University to apply for bursaries from government to support their education at the institution.
Prof Luo said this follows the abolishing of meal allowances at the University of Zambia and Copperbelt University in order for government to offer bursaries to more students to acquire higher education.
She said previously students at Kwame Nkrumah University used to face a lot of challenges due to inadequate infrastructure.
Prof Luo added that his ministry intends to turn Kabwe Institute of Technology into a polytechnic institution.
“We want to introduce rare subjects and move from teaching theorists to practical teachers with hands-on knowledge,” she said.
And who is going to employ all these teachers since we still have teachers who graduated in 2016/17/18 still roaming the streets .
He is always giving “directions” but nothing tangible ever happens.
And how exactly will it be done? Where will the resources come from? What changes need to be made. Talk is cheap bwana. “Directing” does not yield results. Strategy, hard work, investment. That’s what moves things.
Dont mind this dull lazy thing…he just reads speeches and runs away from his Chawama wife Ester over weekend. I am sure he is thinking of where to hide next weekend ..maybe he will go to CB.
Lungu if you want to do what you are directing you have cabinet meetings at which you can order the minister of education. Why are you playing to the gallery?
You want to use the media for your political campaigns?? Yet you don’t even want to hold a press conference
Lazy Lungu directs Lazy Lungu concerned …….what’s wrong with this thick sausage called Edgar everywhere he goes its the same nonsense as if Govt has money to even pay lecturers; his dull educated fooolish minister is also telling UNZA and CBU to look for other sources of revenue instead of govt grant as if they even pay 100% grant and on time.
Jay jay, you sound very bitter. Have you got some solutions? Lungu is not very nice ok, but let’s help him because even mad people can be rehabilitated. Things could have been be worse under Miles Sampa, in you absence (since you ran away to live in the UK, like me).
Sorry, ‘in your absence’. Ndandeko mucibemba? Icisungu cacibulila!
I have no time for folly…you go and help him steal !!
It’s all about ‘directed this, directed that’…. in public. No policy, no systems, no process and procedures; no delegation; nothing. Just what they term as “chipante-pante” (or haphazardly making things up as they go, with knee jerk reactions). This government believes just putting structures and buildings up will solve the problems. They are failing to run the current institutions of learning and they think they will resolve the issues by building more.
By the way the only new university of those he was counting is the one in Muchinga, the others were already there.
I think the only statement that I do agree with wholeheartedly (if they can truly implement it) is the last paragraph by Nkandu Luo which is to actually teach students practical real-life…
….to actually teach students practical real-life ‘hands-on’ skills as opposed to merely being book smarts for nothing.
I like this baLT: “Prof Luo added that his ministry intends to turn Kabwe Institute of Technology into a polytechnic institution.” I have always though so too – a “he”! Confirmation.
“Mr Lungu paid tribute to late President Michael Sata, whose desire he said was to see the expansion of the higher education sub sector.:”
You have to constantly refer to the late fellow for the votes. But isn’t that the fellow who passed on without waiting for his policies to be judged a complete failure and the source of our country’s current fiscal state? E.g. all those unbudgetted districts and councils whose workers we are failing to pay salaries now.