Panic has gripped authorities at Chikankata School of Bio Medical Sciences in Mazabuka following threats by the Ministry of Health to close down the institution which is heavily funded by government.
The institution’s Principal Portipher Pilingana, who disclosed this to ZANIS in Mazabuka today, said the closure of the institute will have a negative bearing on its 78 students, especially those that are expected to sit for their examinations before the end of the year.
Mr. Pilingana said it would be wrong for the Ministry to impose such punitive sanctions at a time when donors and government had increased funding to the institution.
He urged the ministry to rescind its decision because doing so would frustrate the donors who have pumped in a lot of money for infrastructure development and were also sponsoring Zambian students.
According to Mr. Pilingana,both TEVETA and the Ministry of health allowed the institution to open after it met some of the set conditions.
Mr. Pilingana said among the conditions set by the ministry of health and TEVETA wer an increase in accommodation capacity for students, construction of three demonstration laboratories and classrooms.
” We have met almost all the conditions except for the demonstration laboratories that had to pass through the tender procedures but we are lucky because government has finally given us authority to look for contractors to do the project,” he explained.
He said the institute was being penalised for delaying in completing the construction of two demonstration laboratories.
Mr. Pilingana said the ministry of health has since sent a memo advising his administration to prepare for a site visit by a number of directors from Ministry headquarters in Lusaka although they did not indicate the closure.
He said junior officers at the ministry informed him that Chikankata institute of Bio Medical Science is not recognised by the ministry of health.
Mr. Pilingana however questioned why government was funding the institute heavily if the school is not recognised.
Chikankata Institute of Bio Medical Science was closed in 1999 due to policy change by the ministry of health.
The policy change meant change in the training of laboratory technicians to laboratory technologists.
Chikankata, which was closed at the same time as Ndola School of Bio Medical Science, remained closed until 2003 when Chikankata mission hospital management engaged government in discussions to re-open the institute.
During the closure period, Chikankata was used as a practical training area for students from the University of Zambia, Ndola School of Bio Medical Science and Evelyn Hone College.
In 2006, government gave the mission authority to re-open the school at a new site where construction of boarding, hostels and administration block has been built.
ZANIS
Damn hope it wont come to that coz chikankata has really helped produce a lot of the biomedical technologist currently working in zambia.If closed then the chances of zambia having a lot of qualified biomedical personel will be difficult to achieve
Kapoko bwesha indalama waibile mona nomba ifyayamba ukucitika.
Closing medical learning institutions is taking steps backwards.
I mean the chances of zambia filling up its current dificit in biomedical personnel if the school is closed will be an uphill battle
Do not close it. Just improve upon the areas lacking at Chikankata. Meanwhile TEVETA should apply itself to checking private colleges such as COBIC in Kitwe. For instance my son with only 2 passes at G 12 was accepted into their Craft Auto Mechanics course this year!!! When GRZ colleges such as Kabwe, Choma trades etc demand a minimum of a full G 12 Certificate. I refused to pay for him opting that he first improves his G12 results. So TEVETA these are the colleges to close that admit on the basis of business only.
But if it is “heavily” funded, where is the problem??
Leave Chikankata school and don’t close it. close Unza and CBU if you want because these are the most unstable schools with no reputation in the the region at the moment. The chikankata school is improving each year. why do these leaders with no vision like to close things in Zambia? Transform the school instead. shame on you
The Salvation Army at Chikankata have a habit of not taking things seriously. They enjoy using donor and govt funds. Portipher should not have run to the media to talk about his institution, he should have gone to Lusaka, MOH and talk with directors or Permanent secretary to get a clarification. Portipher was just put on that post because he is a salvationist after frustrating senior and seasoned people who know how to run a college like Mr Lumamba. Having worked at that institution for so many years I am very sure that Portipher has not mentioned the main reason the govt has threatened to close that institution. MOH is not full of mad people for them to dream of closing the institution just like that, let Portipher tell us the truth, let us hope no money is stolen
Just start disbanding political parties.Government is there to end problems.Pay back fees to students at fifty percent interest and declare them graduands of low calibre.
number8, The so called mr Lumbaba was a serious Drunkard that refered kachasu or local cheap vilage wine to tuturing students. Yes portipher is a forceful and rude person but definately much better principal at the moment.
Number8, ther so called mr Lumamba was a serious drukard that prefered kachsu or local cheap vilage wine to tutoring students. Yes portipher is a forceful and rude person but definately much better principal at the moment.
I hope they don’t close it, my mother graduated from there.
Number 9 You are talking about old Lumamba, I however never knew him of taking kachasu. i hope you know difference between gangata or seven days and kachasu? The good news is that Mr Lumamba stopped taking alcohol even before he went to Republic of Ireland to do his masters. The salvation Army have been victimising everyone who is not a salvationist and gave all the posts to their puppets. That is why that place is no longer ticking anymore. We worked with Major Young, Dr Winters, Dr Chaila, Major Ward, Dr Pratt and that place was well organised. immediately people like Simanvwa and his puppets took over the place has been mismanaged. Portipher has no managerial experience to deserve being a Principal of a college. It is good you know he is a loudy mouth for selfish reasons
it’s Biomedical not Bio Medical
the comment above re: Salvation Army and happy to take funds and donors is so true – the Salvation Army is not the right or correct overseer of things like this – they hire their own and ruin the good work of local people. It is a shame that no one will stand up and have qualified people run healthcare in the Chikankata area. We have donated funds in excess of 150M kwacha, and many drug shipments but all to be mis used and lost. the CMO – is on the take from the SA, The hospital has a canadian group of nurses (20+) come each two years, the universtiy charrges them 7,500 USD plus each to go, get credit for their course, and the give the hospital 2,000USD only, while make over 60,000USD themselves while using Zambian facilities, staff time, resources to make they feel they have contributed.
Number 13
Please be careful – SImamwva brought more to Chikankata than the whites, development of home based healthcare and others. Good people need to be found to revive Chikankata – the chieftianess probably would like to see Chikankata managed by professionals not so called vacationing or assigned missionaries. Last hospital mission director – Bradbury was on vacation, he was misled and now the mission only holds music camps, UK Corps send kids and old people to see how the jungle people live – it makes me sick.There are loads of people willing to serve God through the people. The pushed out teams of good people, I worked with one called the ZIM Project and everywhere I go the people still ask 6 years later why they are not back in the community.Someone needs to ask why – and stop this
I am disappointed that such gossip is allowed to permeate. Without the constant involvment of the Salvation Army at Chikankata there would be no Health Service. Its not a question of coming or going or colour or race but of being there and knowing what to do when to do it and how to do it. Richard Bradbury turned Chikankata around with help. everyone makes a contribution and should be valued for such, I can assure you that the pain and challenges that he faced was no vacation. If Zambia is to continue to grow and prosper then it takes people of good calibre to stand and make a difference. UK corps send more than kids to play music. Let Chikankata grow and stop putting it and the people who are involved in it down.
kapoko wa sebanya fwebeshikulu
In conclusion of what i hav jst read,i am here by commenting on the matter of admiting students.First of all there are poor peaple here in zambia who can only manage to put food on the table for their family but can not manage to take there responsibility to pay for there children’s school fees due to small income they earn.And the important thing i am trying to say is,its not fair to those poor people who have done very well at G12 but they can not afford to pay for their university or college level education,if failures will be admitted at various universities or colleges because of the money bribe,how can we develop our country if we indulge our self in such things?.If only we pay much attention in our selves without passion for others,we will only find that our economy wont develop…