Confusion erupted at the Copperbelt University in Kitwe on Monday after Management told first year students to go back home as government can no longer provide bursaries for them.
The over 500 students had appealed to the Ministry of Higher Education after they were left out of the group that was first awarded loans.
Some students who were stranded at the Monk Square described the move by CBU Management to send them home as unfair.
Those interviewed said they were just told to pack and leave campus as government has no money to give them as Student Loans.
They have since appealed to government to engage Management on the possibility of rescinding their decision to avoid disturbing their academic calendar.
And CBU Academic Union President Dr. Derrick Ntalasha confirmed that over 500 students have been sent home and has blamed the development on Management.
By time of publishing, Riot Police were at CBU keeping vigil and preventing students from advancing into Jambo Drive.
Some students had lit bonfires on the road leading into the university in protest.
Some reports indicate that CBU student Union President and Vice President have been expelled.
Meanwhile lecturers vow to down tools if not paid by Friday.
Ok even in any country you just don’t go to school without paying anything but there has got to be a policy change and transformation timeframe, (information/discussion/ and agreement by all stake holders). Even in an office where they provide free tea, coffee and biscuits they will tell you that this is the last month. Lol
This is just the beginning of the troubles. This government under Mr. Lungu has plundered the country’s coffers and destroyed the economy. This is the most incompetent, the most dishonest, government this country has ever seen. And when you combine greed and dishonesty with incompetence, you have total disaster on the cards.
I sometimes wonder if this isn’t God’s judgement on us for not appreciating a good president in Levy and labelling him all sorts of funny names. Now you have Lungu. msg…
“Drinking from a poisoned chalice” is how Fred Mmembe described PF00Ls who were dancing & celebrating after announcement of the rigged 2016 election results. Voting for PF is like drinking Acid.
Yet the lazy man is in town and you are clapping for him whilst he is shielded by his cadres…Zambians wake up from your docility Lazy Lungu is taking us for fooooools. The economy is on a downward spiral because of his recklessness and he is running away from responsibilities in Lusaka because he is out of his depth…he would rather dance on stage like a toddler doing his silly Kasaka Kandalama dance whilst people have gone 3 months without pay.
CB people wake up …you have always been the trailblazers in Zambian politics kick this lazy moron back to Lusaka so he does his job.
It’s about time these institutions stopped over enrolling! They get so much money and yet there’s nothing to show for it year in year out.
The over 500 students had appealed to the Ministry of Higher Education after they were left out of the group that was first awarded loans………..meaning at the time these students were entering cbu, they had not been given loans by the govt?
Their parents should pay period. Other parents are paying for their children in private universities lacally and some abroad. The truth is Government has no capacity to give everyone of them a loan .This is where banks and financial institutions come in to mitigate . infact government must not get involved in issuing of student loans but such should be between the student/parents and the banks etc.
There are no jobs and the cost of living is rocketing , where will poor parents get money from ??
Clearly you have never been do university by your post…which people can afford to send their children abroad? The govt is the biggest employer and its failing to pay civil servants on time ho do you think parents will even afford to pay for even food.
Now why was that clown thing some people here consider a head of state doing dancing about his sack of money?
The only sector where this government is doing quite well is the road sector. Everything else is a mess. And if they steal another mandate in 2021,kaya……………….
What? You must be from Lusaka I believe. You need to visit other towns like Kitwe and other Copperbelt towns
Time to see education as an investment too is now. Not long ago, Zambians thought it was madness to build. FTJ cured that. ECL is also curing the idle approach to education. You don’t just go to college. You should know what you will do with the skill to be gained. Turns out most skills those clamouring for free education want can be gained outside college or are not in demand. Hence, even most families that can afford don’t want to (spend more on clothing than children’s education). Until education is seen this way, necessary reform, standards and accountability will not come. Now, there are many job openings in Zambia that can’t be filled by Zambians yet 100s of 1000s of graduates roam the streets. They went to College coz it was free. College never bothered to provide real skill…
too coz they get paid even when product is incapable.
Pro-poor government
Confusion, confusion and more confusion. While this is happening our President is flying in luxury in a $400 million presidential jet
Why is Edgar Lungu insensitive of the plight of the Citizens by the way Minister of Higher Education is mismanaging the education in our Land. Can’t Lungu see that Nkandu Luo is a liability as Minister of Higher Education?
This proud for nothing woman needs to be relieved of her duties before she completely destroys Zambia’s education.
We value education and we can not allow people like Nkandu Luo to freely destroy our hard earned education as a Nation without stopping her from doing so.
I went to the university when there was only UNZA and its Ndola campus UNZANDO. The student poulation was very small compared to today and could somewhat manage to give all of us busuries.
Lets be realistic, the student popution has grown so much and government cannot manage to give these busuries/ student loans to everyone of them.
That is why you already educated people / parents should pay for your children.
The alternartive is bank administered student loans.
The era of free things is no more. Even socialism is almost extinct.
I agree with what you have said but the issue is the way the system is being implemented. System change should not be haphazardly done but systematically implemented. The biggest problem the PF administration has is not the policies but its implementation. If they can just do it well, then all will be well.
Then why did Nkandu Luo spread it out too thin. She’s incompetent. And why did CBU itself register students that had no financial support. Also incompetent.
Contractors have not been paid since last year.How do you survive? Please ba President have mercy, people her suffering.
Ba Mikayele muli chisushi fye imwe. Kolwe.
pf is a very strong acid it will destroy this country before 2021