FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OFFICIAL STATEMENT
16th November 2014
HIGHER EDUCATION DEBACLE
We are deeply saddened with the current happenings at the country's higher learning institutions which have lately been rocked by riots for various reasons, with the latest one at UNZA.
It is sad that nothing much has happened in the area of water and sanitation since I last toured Evelyn Hone College in 2012.
Mulungushi University was recently closed indefinitely for lack of water and poor sanitation and this problem has been persistent and never been addressed.
The University of Zambia (UNZA) and Copperbelt University students have not been paid their meal allowances or were paid late.
There are similar challenges of water and sanitation and general dilapidation due to lack of maintenance in many other colleges around the country.
Like I have consistently stated, certain things do not need any politicization but just need a bit of attention and setting our priorities right as a country.
It is unacceptable that after failing to sponsor thousands of students into higher learning institutions, we are now failing to look after the few that are currently in these same institutions.
And yet as a country, we have embarked on building more of these when we cannot even look after what we already have.
This is clearly lack of planning that we talk about and it is time we set our priorities right as a country in moving forward.
As UPND, we fully know that these children who have not been paid their allowances are children of farmers who have equally not been paid for their agriculture produce.
These are children of poorly paid civil servants whose salaries have been frozen, yet the cost of living is beyond their reach due to the removal of subsidies on fuel and meal mealie.
We call on the PF government to immediately pay the students their allowances in full and attend to the poor water and sanitation issues affecting these institutions.
UPND, does not support riotious bevahiour that results in damage to property, but again what options do students have to air their grievances? Failure to look after these young people is catastrophic for this country.
Let me end by asking Dr John Phiri to quickly address these issues that have dogged the institutions and generally education.
I thank you
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