PAY FOR IN-SERVICE TEACHERS, DEMAND ZCTU

ZAMBIA Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) has condemned the decision by Government and St Eugene University to ask in-service teachers on government sponsorship to pay K22, 000 each for them to graduate.

ZCTU Muchinga Province coordinator Kasando Nondo said the option of students paying K22,000 for them to graduate after government agreed to pay for them is unfortunate and regrettable.

Mr Nondo said it was inconveniencing for students to pay K22, 000 at once especially that teachers may not be automatically upgraded to correct salaries after graduating.

Mr Nondo said government and St Eugene University should agree and allow students to graduate unlike withholding their results.

‘‘When teachers were accepted at St. Eugene University government agreed to pay for them and we commended them for that," he said.

Mr Nondo said teachers could not afford to pay the K22,000 at once and that some were already struggling to pay other loans hence the need for government and the university management to reconsider the issue.

"We still appreciate the move by Government to send in-service teachers to St Eugene University to specialise in Mathematics and Sciences as this will greatly contribute to the development of the country,” Mr Nondo said.

He said the government should pay for those who cannot manage to pay for themselves and allow those that can afford to pay for themselves.

Mr Nondo has also appealed to St Eugene management to let students graduate and allow them to pay in installments.

Government through Ministry of general education permanent secretary for administration Jabbin Mulwanda has asked St Eugene University to recover funds from students on government sponsorship.

In a letter obtained by the Daily Nation, Mr Mulwanda said he had advised students to deposit money in the St Eugene university account to facilitate their being included on the graduation ceremony for next graduation and enable them access their certificates.