Government has directed University of Zambia (UNZA) management to pay workers their gratuities in order to bring to an end the go-slow and protest that has engulfed the institution for the past three days.
Speaking at a media briefing held in Lusaka, today, acting Minister of Education, Elvis Nkandu said, following a fruitful and constructive engagement between University management, ministry officials and UNZA unions, no employee will be on go-slow in order to ensure that students continue to learn.
The openness that we have witnessed from both management and the unions should continue going forward,
he said.
The minister further said some concerns raised by the various unions at UNZA have been deferred until the minister in charge of education, Douglas Syakalima, returns to his office.
And Nkandu, who is also Minister of Youth and Sports, said that government has resolved with management to allow students that have not finished paying their school fees from both Ridgeway and the Great East Road main campus to sit for their examinations.
The president has been so categorical that education is an equalizer and that we should not deny any vulnerable person to write exams,
he said.
He however added that management will withhold students’ results until they clear their outstanding balances.
We need to come up with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), were we need to sign before anyone writes exams. This MoU should state that one can only collect results after payment of the remaining balance is done,
he added.
I think we have done something good to our students and they should also assist government because these institutions use money to run.
Meanwhile, Nkandu, who was in the company of Munali constituency Member of Parliament and Minister of water development, Mike Mposha, disclosed that UNZA will not be load-shedded on Friday due to the exams scheduled for Monday.
The information was wrong because ZESCO does not even intend to loadshed the University, especially now that they are having exams,
he said.
And UNZA Vice Chancellor, Prof. Luke Mumba has said that management is satisfied with the resolutions that were arrived at during its meeting with government and the unions.
Prof. Mumba said the University will abide by government’s directives as it operates based on the policies of the government of the day.
With the case of the students, we have resolved that matter and communicated to the students at ridgeway campus that they write their exams. We will withhold results as agreed,
he said.