Truant students axed

FOUR students from the University of Zambia have been suspended from getting their support through the government loan scheme, for inciting riots.

This follows the announcement by the Minister of Higher Education, Professor Nkandu Luo that the University of Zambia and the Copperbelt University will not reopen due to poor sanitation at the two universities.

Ministry of Higher Education public relations officer Chiselwa Kawanda told the Daily Nation the students allegedly called on their fellow students both at CBU and UNZA to riot as soon as the higher learning institutions reopen on the 22nd of January 2018.

Ms Chiselwa identified students who were alleged to have incited the riots, and have been posting that “Tuka chivivula” as Kelvin Siwale Jr, Sinikiwe Thomati, Francis Chitontolo Bupe and Kapaya Sashi, all from UNZA.

She however urged those students to report to the Unza Management or through the dean of student’s office to exculpate themselves, adding that in the meantime, the Minister has suspended their support from the loan scheme.

Prof Luo has indicated that she will not hesitate to withdraw other students found wanting from the loans scheme.

Prof Luo said the institution’s management would also expel the students from the university, as such behaviour would not be tolerated.

“Universities are institutions for intellectuals and as such students are therefore expected to be exemplary in their conduct.

And students are therefore cautioned to desist from unruly and riotous behaviour as it adversely affects the innocent citizens whose vehicles and property is destroyed,” she said.

Ms Chiselwa also said the two institutions also have a challenge of high numbers of squatters thus exerting pressure on the sanitation infrastructure which was not designed for such large numbers. On Sunday, Prof Luo announced that all higher learning institution will reopen on the 22nd of January 2018, except UNZA and CBU.

The decision was arrived at after taking into consideration the poor sanitation at the two institutions, in response to the Statutory Instrument No 79 of 2017 issued by the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Higher Education that deferred the opening of higher learning institutions in the country irrespective of their classification.