The Zambia National Educational Coalition is pleased with the announcement by the new Minister of Higher Education Hon. Brian Mushimba that the Copperpelt University will re-open on 19th August, 2019. We also appreciate the decision taken by the Minister to re-instate all the union leaders that were expelled. The Coalition is delighted that the Minister has responded to our call and to the concerns of our various stakeholders and members of the public who were calling for the re-opening of Copperbelt University.
We would however like to inform the government that the reopening of CBU only be seen as the first step in addressing the many problems that our higher learning institutions are facing. Our position as a Coalition is that the problems that are currently obtaining in our Higher Learning Institutions can only be resolved by open and honest dialogue involving university management, students and the Minister of Higher Education. We therefore hope that the new Minister will soon provide a platform for resolving the issues at both the Copperbelt University and the University of Zambia.
Additionally, as a Coalition we would like to advise management at Copperbelt University to be flexible and open to divergent views. Ultimately, they should know that the long term solutions hinge on the need for government to adequately finance CBU to allow for the effective delivery of quality education at the institution. Therefore, we take this opportunity to call upon government to increase the financing to our higher learning institutions and to the Education and Skills Sector as a whole to at least 20% of the National budget in 2020.
For/ZANEC
George Hamusunga
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
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