Lusambo warns students

RIOTOUS behaviour from students especially those in higher institutions of learning will not be tolerated, Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo has warned.

Mr Lusambo said that government would not tolerate unruliness from students who should concentrate on their education.

The Minster was speaking when he met Evelyn Hone College Principal Mr. Daniel Fwambo and the students after word went round that they wanted to riot over increased tuition fees, alleged irregularities of misplaced results at the Technical and Vocational Training Authority among other issues.

Mr. Lusambo warned the students at the college that the institution was too small and he could handle it alone.

“I can handle this college, it is a small place to me. I have dealt with bigger issues and institutions so 7, 000 students

cannot be a problem for me to handle alone,” he said.

He said that government through his office would not hesitate to expel students that would be creating chaos and disturbing other students in the process.

“You are not only being unfair to government but to yourselves as well because if we find you rioting, you are gone. Going forward, we will not be tolerating such behaviour,” he said.

Mr. Lusambo also warned students to stop being “landlords” and charging their fellow students double amounts they were made to pay at the institution. That was after Mr. Fwambo complained to the Minister that some students were taking advantage of the accommodation deficit to rent out their bed spaces to other students at abnormal amounts.

He complained that the students had the audacity to complain about not having enough bed spaces when they were the ones stealing from the government. “You are here to learn so that you can become better people in future, not to become businessmen and women. We will not tolerate this especially here in my province,” Mr. Lusambo explained.

The minister has however promised the students that their complaints would be looked into and taken care of.