FILL YEARNING INDUSTRY

ZAMBIA’S industry is indeed yearning for more versatile, practical and forward-looking graduates that are able to push the growth agenda successfully. Such graduates could be employees, employers or entrepreneurs to fill the gap in the industry and for the country to reach the apex in terms of national development. Yes, many universities – private and public – have been birthed and are churning out a good number of graduates. But the catch-phrase is versatile, competent and forward-looking graduates. Therefore, all universities need to tailor their programmes in a manner that responds to the present dynamics in industry not only obtaining in Zambia but the world at large. Firstly, universities must ensure that entry requirements for new students are appropriate. Students should possess requisite qualifications with appropriate grades according to programmes they wish to undertake. There must not be any compromise over entry qualifications. The Higher Education Authority (HEA) and other statutory regulatory bodies must ensure that all universities meet the set standards, including having well-qualified lecturers. Copperbelt University (CBU) Chancellor Professor Muyunda Mwanalushi brought out salient points during the graduation ceremony on Wednesday in Kitwe. One of them is that there are insufficient versatile graduates in the industry, which is now begging for a rich human capital. That there is urgent need for ideal higher institutions of learning to produce versatile and skilled graduates is spot on for Prof Mwanalushi. He clearly challenges universities to cultivate a true academic culture to produce versatile graduates. In short, there are so many graduates who do not meet the needs of the dynamic industry. There are credible public and private universities that have the ability to give the industry the required rich human resource. However, some of the universities are a far cry! Some desperate parents have had to enroll their children in universities that do not meet the required standards. Yes indeed, the world depends on universities for knowledge, prosperity, policy-thinking and many more, hence the imperative need for local institutions to improve their academic trajectory. There has been a proliferation of universities such that the institutions are begging for students to enroll for them to remain sustainable in the face of stiff competition. Even public universities have been kept on their toes by emerging private universities that have crafted their programmes in line with international norms. More importantly, secondary education must improve too because that is the feeding line for universities. Standards at this level have plummeted drastically to the extent that some Grade 12s are unable to write a formal letter correctly – spelling mistakes abound! Therefore, the reservoir at secondary school level needs to be thoroughly cleaned while universities should have water-tight entry systems that are able to sieve “debris.” In fact, the systems must be reinvigorated from one level to the other. What may be killing the established norms in universities, is the commercial aspect that has diluted the real academic flavour. Some institutions do admit below-par students as long as they are able to pay fees well in advance. Sadly for some institutions, it is survival versus