PRESS STATEMENT by UNZASU
UNZASU wishes to distance itself from the newly introduced payment policy as well as the newly increased tuition fees on returning students’. To this effect we are calling on Government to have the aforementioned withdrawn with immediate effect. On 23 rd April, 2010 management released a memo notifying the students’ populace on the new payment structure which demanded that the 50% two installments payment schedule had been nullified and that a 75% initial installment had been enforced in the first semester and full payment of tuition fees (100%) would be introduced for the second semester.
In addition management has revised the tuition fees by 25% for returning students’ in all categories; Art, science and Medicine based programmes. The new increment has also come at a time when most of our students’ have left the institution and are not aware of the new changes. With the introduction of the on-line system of registration last academic year the majority of students’ will not be able to meet these highly commercial fees as the 2010/2011 Academic year begins on 13th June this year. Our rejection of these policies is based on the following premises;
1. The historical attachment which this institution has with society and the underlying principal on which it was built as the major public university in our nation will be highly defeated by the introduction of these highly commercial fees. Given that the majority of the Zambian population is underprivileged higher education will be highly restricted to a minority few who can afford. This will only strengthen the existing elite strata where only 2% of Zambians have had access to quality university education since independence.
2. The increment is not in line with the social economic dictates in the country. 44% of enrolment at the University of Zambia is self sponsored students and majority of who are civil servants and solely depend on their meager salary to meet the cost of the tuition fees with the exception of accommodation, other non tuition fees and daily expenses. While we acknowledge the 15% increment in the average K1, 200,000 which civil servants get, it does not correlate with the 25% increment imposed by UNZA management. Of the 56% of students sponsored by Government, 75% are fully sponsored and the rest are on partial sponsorship respectively. The latter of this number mostly come from civil service homes where the same difficulties are faced.
3. The new payment policy and increased fees are not in line with Government national goals such as Education for All, Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Vision 2030 which envisage an educated population as the driving force in uplifting Zambia from its poverty mire. Currently the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) has adopted the degree clause for all constitutional office bearers. Given that, should this only be a preserve for those who can afford or the elite?
4. We are also aware that the increased fees did not pass through the standard procedure of University Senate and Council approval before implementation. We are reliably informed that this was a Government directive to shift the burden of their failure or lack of intent to adequately fund this institution on the already oppressed, marginalized, underprivileged poor Zambians. This clearly demonstrates;
i. The misplacement of Government priority on education.
ii. The failure to recognize that Universities in this time and era promote economic growth as well as a tangible productive human resource.
It can be noted therefore that society has created a hierarchy of oppression which stems from the apex of authority and trickles down to the common Zambian. We need to realize that it is high time Government became accountable to the people and promoted the good of all. The neglect of investment toward university education is a draw back on this nation, which is in dire need of professionals. Therefore any policy which does not promote access of all to education should not be promoted.
DELETED AFTER FIVE COMPLAINTS
Cry the beloved country….we hear you loud and clear! we were there and know exactly what you are talking about. Can RB and co rise to the occasion and give Zambia free education???
In the past, Unza/CBU graduates came from among the most brainy pupils zambian schools could produce. If you passed very well at G12, you were assured of University education but not any more. We are now having graduates who are graduates not because they are the most brainy but becoz they could afford the university fees….SAD!. If your parents are poor, you are also sentenced to poverty!
Meanwhile, they keep going to RSA, flying around, wanting more by-elections and by-elections of by-elections….Zambian leaders! If KK stood for presidency today, I would vote for him-serious!
this is crazy and absurd..we can’t alow that to happen..where on earth do you such an increament..?with these economic hardships in Zambia..!!
#1 chanda musonda….hate the game, dont hate the player. I disagree with a lot of what MMD does but lets not hate or insult individuals. :)>-:)>- peace!
:o:o:o its a shame my children will have to leave UNZA coz i cant afford. RB think twice about this . Elections ka:(([-([-(
bushe mwe bantu whats wrong with us? zambia must be about the only country that seems to find absolutely nothing evils about its own people wallowing in avoidable suffering. what’s the use of having a govt if its people are not benefiting? do we pay so that RB, his family and his clique can enjoy the best zambia has to offer. kwati teti cibipe uku cita ‘delete’ govt and allow ministries to be directly accountable to parliament mwe.
I DNT UNDERSTAND THT SUCH PIPO WHO MAKE THESE HARSH DICISION IF AT ALL THY LEAVE IN ZED OR THY JST DREAM. WAT I WONDER IS WAT MAKES THE DO THINGS LIKE THESE, DO THY SWIM IN MONEY EN ASSUM THT ITS SAME WITH EVERY1? CAN SM1 HELP. COZ AM SEING POVERTY IN MANY PIPO IN ZED ITS ALL HAND TO MOUTH, NO SAVINGS, NO SALARY INCREAMENTS, HIGH HOSPITAL BILLS, COARHATEM(MALARIA DRUG) IS NW 50PIN ($10)PER COURSE- HOW MANY ZAMBIAN WILL AFFORD THT? ITS SO CRAZY. WITH LIMTED RESOURCES BUT WE KEEP ON ASKING FOR MORE. ARE WE INDIRECTLY ASKIN FOR MORE KAPOKO’S IN ZED. I MEAN HW DO WE FIGHT CORRUPTION? THESE ISSUES THY R INTER-RELATED. THE NEXT THING WE SHA C IS THT ZED WIL BE RATED HIGHLY IN TERMS OF CORRUPTION. LUK AT NIGERIA EN ANSWER YO SELF. CHEERS
Am sorry for the young men and women of Zambia….why please govt consider these are future of Zambia.
League yakosa bane! But what can we do to reverse such decisions? What indeed with absentee MPs, in a country where everything is political?:-w
These same chaps UNZASU are RB’s best supporters. Mwaona manje!!
This is very bad for an average Zambian
:(( Viva ba monko! Abash this rubbish!
Very sad indeed.My heart goes out to all the monks and moma`s at Unza.If some of us are benefiting from the rewards of a free education system but still struggling to make ends to meet in other areas, then i can imagine how hard it should be for a zambian student whom not only has to pay those high fee`s and books, but must also find the money to survive on.No abena Dora should do something about it .It is too much for an average zambian student.:-?
Isn’t it interesting how when one starts to talk goals it becomes so easy to see our failures as a nation? I enjoy reading the arguments that come from UNZASU. Here they correctly note that education is vital, in fighting poverty and the many problems attached to it. I would imagine that it cannot be easy for those that are faced with the challenge of running an institution that is severely underfunded and I would hope that sooner or later we match the pride that we have in our highest institution of learning with an investment that reflects that. If UNZA, too should become a place for only those with some cash to spare then the playing field will be even less level for all, increasing the wealth divide even further. Who then will stand for the impoverished? Are they not citizens too?
In our times, you would go to UNZA without school fees, wait for the first BC, borrow from friends who got BC, pay your tution and pay back when your BC in arrears comes. Tution was K87pin while BC was K90 pin. Those were the days. Whats happening now is really sad.
This story and civil servants delayed salaries make sad reading.
If UNZA has to attract high calibre lecturers and researchers, it must remunerate competitively. To do this, it must raise money from all sorts and that includes tuition fees. Zambians have a choice, get cheap university education for more students but low quality, or get high quality education for a few. On the other hand, there is a proliferation of ‘private’ universities in Zambia. What kind of tuition fees are they charging? Government must device means by which students can fund their education. Student loans and fewer lecture hours to allow part time work may be a solution.
UNZASU you meant principle not principal! shows the quality of education pa Zed. Education is not supposed to be free. But looking at the luxury of Ministers, Members of Parliament, NCC participants, Party cadres, MMD members, Govt. of Zambia can and should fund the UNZA.