Copperbelt University (CBU) acting Vice Chancellor, Paul Chisale, has counseled students at the institution to responsibly use their meal allowances.
Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Kitwe, Professor Chisale said the reinstated meal allowances should be used to improve the well being of the students for them to concentrate on education.
He said students should not use the allowances to stir riots when they delay to receive them in future.
“The reinstatement of meal allowances by the government is a welcome move because it takes away the worry of where a student will find a meal, let alone a decent meal. If their meals are secured, then they are able to concentrate on studies and so that anxiety which normally spills into disturbing their academic calendars will no longer be there because they will no longer go to Jambo Drive to protest against meal allowances,” he said.
Prof. Chisale said the students should remain focused and take responsibility for the money they receive, stating that spending the money on beer will not help them in any way.
He further urged the students to remain calm in future even when allowances are paid late as there are can be challenges in every system.
“It pays to stay calm in the midst of some challenges, in every system there are challenges but overally, I do not expect students to start rioting over meal allowances because the money has not reflected in their accounts,” he said.
Prof. Chisale however noted that the UPND government has so far not faltered in fulfilling its promises, but noted that some few things may go wrong in the process of processing the money, but students should not agitate confusion.
He further urged the students to use rightful channels to air their grievances if aggrieved, unlike resorting to rioting.
And some students talked to by ZANIS thanked the government for releasing the meal allowances as promised.
Hempel Matongo, a student in the School of Engineering, confirmed receiving the money in his account.
Mr. Matongo said he has already used part of the money to buy food.
“We would like to thank President Hakainde Hichilema for reinstating the meal allowance. We will now be able to concentrate in class because we are able to buy food, we can also use the money to attend to other needs that support our studies and wellbeing,” he said.
The students loans board has credited the accounts of students under its sponsorship with meal allowances as promised by the government last year.
Under the Patriotic Front (PF) regime, the government abolished the meal allowance saying it contributed to the rampant student riots that the public universities used to experience.
I hope this is sustainable, given the fragility of our economy at this juncture.
My name is Zulu Kaizar. I am following PHD at the university of Chawama in Carlifonia. Am I also entitled to get allowances. I do not know how prof. Dr. Chishimba Kambwili managed to study without allowances at Mater university in London.
Hahahahahahahaha Good one!!! Shameful frauds that Kaizar Zulu and Chimbwi Chimbwili are
Samuel your obsession with me is very worrying and strange. For that reason I will not respond to you henceforth. Good bye and enjoy blogging
This is a welcome move.One thing which challenged the government under UNIP was finding money to pay meal allowances to students on time. Delays to pay students meal allowances on time saw many students take streets to protest. This resulted in many unnecessary closures. At this time many students could not sympathize with government under UNIP as it sruggled with many issues with the IMF.
I don’t remember receiving meal allowances during my time at UNZA during the UNIP government. We had free education and could just walk to the New or Old dinning halls to have a meal. The only disturbance we experienced was when meal cards were introduced, otherwise the UNIP government walked the talk in as far as free education was concerned.
during our time at cbu we used to receive 700 kwacha as project allowance and 300 kwacha as meal allowance and during my time in Russia we used to get 180 dollars per month as meal allowance