HIGHER learning institutions students’ bodies have described the first three months of the UPND government as very disappointing for the learners who had high expectations that have either been snubbed or ignored.
Copperbelt University Student’s Union (COBUSU) president, Lawrence Kasonde said that the student bodies have been very disappointed with the manner in which the New Dawn administration has handled student affairs.
Mr. Kasonde said that the students are disappointed that the government had lamentably failed to meet the aspirations of the students who turned up in numbers to vote for anticipated change.
He cited the recent government failure to secure resources to provide education loans to 8, 004 eligible first-year University of Zambia students for the 2022-2023 academic year as another blow to the student fraternity.
Mr. Kasonde further lamented that the government had ignored the cries of students who have continued to be denied a chance to write examinations because they owed the universities or colleges school fees.
He said that some students at a named university were not allowed to write supplementary examinations because they owed the school.
Mr. Kasonde said that this was brought to the attention of the government, but nothing has been done.
He also observed that the merging of the Ministry of General education and the Ministry of Higher Education had brought untold misery to the higher learning institutions.
Mr Kasonde said that higher learning institutions had their own challenges that needed a dedicated ministry that would attend to the challenges in a prompt manner.
He, therefore, advised the government to rethink its decision to merge the two ministries.
And Zambia National Student’s Union (ZANASU) general secretary, Issach Mambwe said that the failure by the government to secure loans for the over 8, 000 eligible first-year University of Zambia students threatens the country’s aspirations of becoming a prosperous middle-income economy by 2030.
He, therefore, appealed to the government to ensure that at least 50 percent of those left out are awarded loans by January next year.
He also appealed to the government to ensure that students in private colleges and universities are also considered in the government education loan scheme.
He said that vulnerable children were not just in public institutions and as such a need to extend the facility to private institutions.
I’m glad to hear that more people keep stressing on the need to ensure that students in private universities also need to be considered for the education loan schemes too. Hoping this news does not fall on deaf ears.
INSTEAD OF LANDING ON THE GROUND RUNNING THEY LANDED CRAWLING HENCE THE CONFUSION.
Private universities – just like private schools and colleges – are meant to serve the interests of those who can afford to pay for their own education. How do they remain private universities if they start relying on financial support from state coffers? None of the dependents I educated in private schools ever received any government sponsorship. Managements of Baobab, Chengelo, or Lechwe schools understand the concept of a private educational institution and thus never request for government support or bursaries for their students. Those sending their dependents to private universities can negotiate for loans from banks and other financial institutions like they do in some countries. After all, even at public universities like UNZA and CBU, not all students get loans; 40 percent of…
After all, even at public universities like UNZA and CBU, not all students get loans; 40 percent of UNZA students are self-sponsored.
SHut up you *****S
Babufi, what did you expect?
Mukose you supported blindly.
Alaaa TU youth shut up what are you complaining about…Are you not the same chaps who wanted bally will fix it…So what is the problem today! End result of voting what of emotions instead of your brain… Good
Here are some Bemba adages for those who care “ Umwana ekalisha elyo a ……”, “ “umwana ngalombe mupeleni”, you see your friend fainting in the line of duty you think those are under five jokes.
Student loans are a bad idea. It’s a mechanism that’s holds people in poor to medium classes. The USA government experimented with student loans and the scheme failed miserably evidenced by numerous political campaign promises to forgive the student loans and scrap the whole program. The truth is that the real beneficiary of student loan programs are private universities and staff who indulge themselves with huge salary perks from this new found pot of gold. Student loans are bad for the society. Honestly, the lenders of these students are foreigners who use governments to debt enslave their own people. Hopefully, mother Zambia doesn’t fall for this debt enslavement trap. Yes we need education but not at the cost debt enslavement for decades to life, no child deserves such a horrible life.
HAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHA CHINEke!
What are the “yufi” complaining about? Efyo mwalefwaya, so live with it. You were even parading graduation gowns at polling stations. Manje yamigwila, muzachiona!
The plight expressed by Students’ Unions is appreciated. However, the Govt should review a broad picture that defines the quality of higher education in Zambia. In the first place, there are too many Universities that have mushroomed in Lusaka, resulting in lowering the quality of higher education in this country. The business stance of Private Universities is such that they thrive on being parasitic on Unza’s academic staff – and worst still, private universities lack research prowess in natural sciences.
As regards to Public Universities, it will be cost effective for CBU, Mulungushi and Unza to operate on a Federal System similar to structures existing at Universities of Cambridge, London and Oxford, where each has One Council, One Chancellor, One Vice-Chancellor and One Registrar.
(1) Chalimbana (Education) and Levy Mwanawasa (Medical), Ridgeway Campus to be integrated into Unza under One Council etc. (2) Mukuba (Education) and Ndola Campus (Medical) to be integrated into CBU under One Council etc. (3) Kwame Nkrumah (Education) to be integrated into Mulungushi University under One Council etc. The three Universities to be headed by a Vice-Chancellor who is mature & backed up with excellent research experience.
When funds become available, only Universities that are to be located at provincial level in Chinsali, Chipata, Choma, Kasama, Mansa, Mongu and Solwezi can be administered under separate Councils each with a Chancellor, Vice-Chancellors and Registrar. This kind of restructuring public Universities will promote RESEARCH programs of importance to Zambia and neighbouring countries. Research is a factor which actually defines the status of good Universities world-wide. Introduction of French and Portuguese languages as orientation courses in our Public Universities can attract more foreign students from the region.
When funds become available to Govt, only Universities that are to be located at provincial level in Chinsali, Chipata, Choma, Kasama, Mansa, Mongu and Solwezi can be administered under separate Councils each with a Chancellor, Vice-Chancellors and Registrar. This kind of restructuring public Universities will promote RESEARCH programs of importance to Zambia and neighbouring countries. Research is a factor which actually defines the status of good Universities world-wide. Introduction of French and Portuguese languages as orientation courses in our Public Universities can attract more foreign students from the region.