MUSHIMBA DEMANDS IMPROVED SERVICES IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS Covid-
UNIVERSITIESand colleges in the country must ensure that they put in place measures that will promote quality service delivery, Higher Education Minister Brian Mushimba has directed.
Dr Mushimba also advised tertiary institutions to strengthen partnerships in order to facilitate sharing of knowledge, skills and experiences and ultimately learn self-sustainability strategies.
The Minister was speaking via Zoom during the official opening of the 2nd Zambia Association of Public Universities and Colleges (ZAPUC) International Conference taking place in Livingstone.
Dr Mushimba said Government recognised that the education sector as an important pre-requisite to economic development.
He said, therefore, that management and staff of the public universities and colleges in ZUPAC should be exemplary to curb loss of confidence their institutions.
"We have a lot to do in the face of a myriad of challenges from climate change to the current public health threat of the Covid-19, hence the need for you to be key pillars of our national development agenda.
"I have noted with great interest the recent leadership shown by universities and other partners in finding innovative solutions to counter the spread of Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.
Dr Mushimba said key amongst interventions are innovations from University of Zambia, Copperbelt University, Mulungushi University and Mukuba University.
He said innovations included the development of a prototype ventilator, a walk in sanitizer and a mobile application for in
19 for contact tracing. The Minister noted that initiatives were as a result of collaborative effort with industry in which some financial support was provided to the universities to undertake necessary design and testing.
Earlier, ZUPAC Chairperson
Professor Hellicy Ng'andi said that information and communications technology (ICTs) has proved to be an effective tool for both in learning in job creation.
Prof Ng'ambi, who is the Vice-Chancellor at Mulungushi University, said ICTs could be used by Universities and Colleges to improve their education systems through various platforms.
She said the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic had taught universities and colleges so many things following the closure of the institutions.