Cash-strapped UNZA in limbo
… re-opening uncertain as maintenance works stall
UNIVERSITY of Zambia management is in a dilemma over the reopening of the institution as only 10 percent of the maintenance works have been done to satisfy the conditions set by public health inspectors, Vice-Chancellor Professor Luke Mumba has said.
Prof Mumba said the current situation at UNZA was worrying as it did not have sufficient funds to do the maintenance works quickly, with a backlog of first year students reporting.
“Those first year students that were supposed to report in 2009 ended up reporting in 2011 and now with this closure the situation will continue to delay students,” Prof Mumba said. He told the Daily Nation that the absence of students who contributed 60 percent to the university’s budget had not helped the situation as the university only managed to raise K1 million which was not enough to finish the maintenance works.
Prof Mumba said the closure was a big inconvenience as it disturbed the sessional dates and timetable.
He said UNZA had been closed since September and it was not good for its reputation.
He said there was need for management and other stakeholders to quickly come together and aid the situation.
Prof Mumba said that management had already engaged the line ministry on the matter and was still waiting for a conclusive response.
Prof Mumba said the reopening depended on satisfying the conditions of public health inspectors and a lot still needed to be done.
“Indeed, we are in a Catch 22 situation, as you are aware, our sanitary conditions are poor and therefore we cannot reopen yet again, we do not have sufficient funding to expedite the repair works but also we cannot forget that we have sessional dates and students who need to learn,” he said.