Students from the Northern Technical College (NORTEC) yesterday stormed the streets of Ndola in protest against the quality of certificates that the Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training Authority (TEVETA) issues to graduates from the institution.
Police in riot gear had a tough time restraining the vengeful students who chanted slogans and sung solidarity songs as they marched their way to Cabinet Office seeking an audience with Copperbelt Minister Mwenya Musenge.
NORTEC students’ union president Gift Mumbi said the certificates issued by TEVETA did not have the Institution’s name, the candidate’s NRC number and the programme duration making it hard for graduates to be identified with the college.
“We wrote a letter to TEVETA informing them that these certificates given to NORTEC students do not have our institution’s name, the course duration and the candidates NRC number, so how can one know that I was trained at NORTEC,” he said.
Copperbelt Minister Mwenya Musenge who addressed the students told them to remain calm as he, together with their union representatives and NORTEC management would this Friday meet the TEVETA director general to discuss the matter.
“I have heard all your concerns and, I together with your college management and union representatives, will this Friday meet with the TEVETA director general so that we find the best solution to this problem,” Mr Musenge told the students.
In a separate interview TEVETA director General David Chakonta said the examination body had already put in place measures to ensure that the said features reflected on the certificates for this year’ graduates.
“We have adopted some changes, so for this year’s graduates, the names of the institution and assessment centers will be inserted on the certificates, however the NRC numbers may not reflect due to security features put in place to avoid forgery of documents ” he said.
After the address by the minister, the students returned to NORTEC and by midday, it was business as usual at the institution.
I have always thought these are the rights that people, especially the young one like students should fight for since they mean well for their future. I have always felt sorry and ashamed by so many poor youths who give solidarity support to politicians, even those suspected to steal the resources of the nation and make them suffer. Poor people giving solidarity support to the rich while, when a poor person is arrested for stealing, no rich person gives the same solidarity support. Possibly, this is how society is structured to support the rich stealing, while an instance mob on a poor person found stealing, not even tried and proven guilty. It is just my humble appeal to the cadres/poor to work extra hard because those people they follow to courts have something to eat after court session
Spot on!!
NORTEC has existed longer than this TEVETA. why can’t Nortec not issue its own certificates. Does TEVETA issue Unza certificates? If not, then let Nortec issue its own certificates. no need for reg numbers on the certificates.
Ulinanzelu mwana. Well said!
This is a good example of what normal youths should be marching for in solidarity. Mwana Nsu!!!! Former VP
Do you seriously need an NRC number on your certificate ?? My certificate from CBU only has my name, institutions name, qualification i obtained & in which field & VCs signature @ the bottom
Different institutions have different rules. My Dutch degree even has my date of birth… I think it is the same with some Namibian and South African institutions. Kusiyana-siyana kwa ma ofesi.
Which year did you graduate from CBU and from which programme? I was in SOT from 2002-2006,H-block!
2007 Also from SOT i was from C block. Did Beng MET
The first thing TEVETA did When they took over the running of exams (for tertiary institutions) from ECZ was to increase examination fees from k7000 to k70,000. They also introduced a host of other fees that were not charged by ECZ such as:
1.Annual accreditation for Trainers
2.Annual registration of all courses provided by registered institutions
With all these fees going into their coffers, one would have therefore expected TEVETA to provide better services than ECZ. Unfortunately TEVETA has just proved to be a “fund raising” venture for the management team whose mediocre performance does not warrant the hefty salaries and allowances they give themselves at the expense of their core function of administering exams
I and other people directly involved with TEVETA are not shocked at the disorganisation and greed the TEVETA management has found themselves in. I totally agree with the Sentiments my Learned colleague ‘CHIGAYO’ has highlighted. One would have thought that this CLAN of FRIENDS and relatives called TEVETA would have made developments on the PROGRESS ECZ had started.
A case in POINT is the constant mediocre Treatment of Examination setters in regards to payments. secondly it is on record that when one goes to TEVETA they are likely to give you contradicting results on one Candidate. Now this is a NATIONAL Authority entrusted with handling such an important FUNCTION of EXAMINATION.This will definitely cast a big shadow of DOUBT on Credibility of RESULTS
lets fight for our future guyz;
They are wrong and they have realized it. Students are right. Thats why I trust change for with change better things come about. Change and continuous change for better. Students come and go. Those administrators need be changed, may be they are clogged up with long stay.
Like I always say, THIEVES are in charge now. Everything is going down the drain. They have no brains, except for stealing. Zambia has deteriorated so much in just less than 2 years since the new government took over. More still to come.
Just shut up you brainless chap, concentrate on the topic at hand.
chimbwi it’s only your mind that has deteriorated and contaminated with dirty thoughts.
Chimbwi, its good that people are now able to come out and air their views on various issues affecting them. We never used to have such things during MMD.why? becoz even if people complained the gvt never listened but we now have a listening gvt. Remember these certificated where designed during MMD, why put the blame on the current gvt?
Bushe pali ifya MMD na PF apa?? Ni TEVETA NA ECZ, mwaba shani kanshi?? The boys were peaceful though they made a lot of noise disturbing my day to day activities in my office. Its worth it anyway, only one who has never been a student cannot appreciate such movemental no kuvivuka. Total pa total ba NORTEC mwalya tonse baice. Whats next?
There is no real change without conflict. Way to go NORTEC
The quality of your certificate reflect the data u have. U want nice expensive cert when your sch is on third floor rm 24, only. Better institution gets better cert ba fikwesa.
The Director TEVETA says that they will make changes on this year’s gruading students certificates, but what about those that have graduated, should their certificates continue bearing those mistakes?
I suggest the setting of exams and the awarding of certificates be taken back to Examinations Council of Zambia. The so called “teveta” are too disorganized. They display gross incompetence in all their operations.
The whole system is a fraud!
am proud ov the new nsu!!! this is wat we ot to do! that certificate shud be coloured on a nice paper,institution`s name,program name and so on! that director general 4 tvta shud be fired if he daznt implement this
!
@HH. Yo comment reflects how you think.
Comment:Kamani umwana NSU! Nortec has been there much longer than this fraudulent Teveta. Put the Institutions name, Logo, Candidates name, Programmes name, Duration and Year of Completion.
Then teveta should go back to redo the erroneously done certificates because mwali Sapula ba koswe (ba teveta). Redo your sapps on those certificates.
Kamani umwana NSU! Nortec has
been there much longer than this fraudulent
Teveta. Put the Institutions name, Logo,
Candidates name, Programmes name, Duration
and Year of Completion.
Then teveta should go back to redo the
erroneously done certificates because mwali
Sapula ba koswe (ba teveta). Redo your sapps
on those certificates.