Higher Education Minister Professor Nkandu Luo, Community Development and social welfare Minister Emerine and Baclays Bank PLC CEO Mizinga Mehlu interacting during the"Barclay's Bank scholarship" launch at Lusaka Pamodzi Hotel on Tuesday, 1st August 2017. — Higher Education Minister Professor Nkandu Luo, Community Development and social welfare Minister Emerine and Baclays Bank PLC CEO Mizinga Mehlu interacting during the”Barclay’s Bank scholarship” launch at Lusaka Pamodzi Hotel on Tuesday, 1st August 2017.

MINISTER of Higher Education Nkandu Luo has bemoaned the lack of private sector support to advancement of tertiary learning in the country.

Professor Luo said this in Lusaka on Tuesday during the launch of Barclays Bank Zambia’s K3.2 million scholarship programme which will enable over 50 underprivileged youths access higher education.

Prof Luo said private sector support to education is low in Zambia.

“I just received this beautiful letter from the managing director of Barclays Bank Zambia asking me to come and launch this bursary scheme to support education. What could a minister do other than jump on this undertaking? This is the way it should be,” she said.

Prof Luo said with support from cooperating partners, Government would like to come up with a loan and bursary fund to educate Zambian children.
She urged cooperating partners to consider supporting tertiary education just like they have done to general education.

“There is no better gift a parent or a government can give to a child than education. I did not understand this when I was growing up because my parents always told us that they would rather die poor and without property as long as they educate us. My parents did everything possible to educate the eight of us,” Prof Luo said.

And speaking at the same function, Minister of Community Development and Social Services Emerine Kabanshi said her ministry cherishes the increased access to education, especially among the poor and vulnerable.

Ms Kabanshi said although 45 percent of women and 57 percent of men have attended secondary or higher education, initiatives aimed at increasing literacy levels in society still remain crucial.

Barclays Bank Zambia managing director Mizinga Melu said her institution’s scholarship programme will take into consideration both financial needs and academic merits.

Ms Melu said the bank will work with the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services to identify vulnerable young people who will benefit from the scholarship programme.

Pictures Courtesy of Jean Mandela

8 COMMENTS

free August 3, 2017 At 8:10 am

Suffering from the lack of kick-backs in your Ministry?
- Divide & Rule August 3, 2017 At 9:46 am
  
  They are strictly in business and are not charitable organizations, they diligently pay taxes to the government which should be invested into the education sector.
nshilimbemba August 3, 2017 At 11:23 am

What is wrong with our african ladies , have they abandoned their hair to just import dead people’s straight hair .
Women amaze me all of a sudden they have all become european or asians with straight hair , when will they climb back from their borrowed looks .
They now take pride in wearing wigs impersonating that they not africans , well all women are just cosmetic in what they are .
Chitutuma August 3, 2017 At 11:33 am

Comment:
A shameful development. Women everywhere with strange colour wigs. The African women have rejected the black hair that God Almighty assigned to them. Shame, again.
Chitutuma August 3, 2017 At 11:41 am

Comment:
Makes me want to to puke each and every time I see these women in demonic wigs. Does Rev Sumaili wear them as well, the moral voice minister?
nkope shinyenga August 3, 2017 At 12:11 pm

But kwena and yet she’s a Professor yet, BADLY “disfigured” in these so-called Brazilian Hairs of theirs. Just what’s wrong with our African women mwebantu? Just what’s happened to the MUKULES of this world? What’s happened to those hair styles our mother’s and grand mother’s used to wear; like BENDEKA for example?

That’s the biggest problem we Africans (especially Zambians) have – mental Colonisation! It’s ALL in the minds of our womenfolk ati ‘straight long hair’ is better, atase! Little wonder the Professor here looks like CHIKADOLI meant for ‘scarring’ naughty and noisy children…
Masalamuso August 3, 2017 At 1:13 pm

This post is about education not hair…… why should government always ask for the private sector to fund what they have been elected to do.
nshilimubemba August 3, 2017 At 5:46 pm

I am really disappointed with our Zambian ladies who always choose imitate other nationalities in the way dress.
Now Zambian ladies almost all of them in diaspora are dressing like Nigerians, yaba what is wrong with our good dressing of well tailored citenge .
Zambian ladies you look more beautiful in our own Zambian dress than that Nigerian regalia, it really bothers me how you quickly want to lose your Zambian identity and become Nigerians .