Maravi

HH calls for re-opening of CBU

HH calls for re-opening of CBU
By Mwala Kalaluka and Patson Chilemba
Tuesday September 11, 2007 [04:00]

UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema has called on the government to end the ‘blame game’ on the closure of the Copperbelt University. And the Copperbelt University Academics Union (CBUAU) has stated that punishing few students perceived to have been ring leaders in the alleged riotous behaviour was not a solution to the problems at the institution.

In an interview, Hichilema demanded that the university be reopened immediately. He urged the government to meet with the students’ union and resolve the issue as amicably as possible without anybody being expelled for whatever reason.

“Our friends in government view university education as a cost, we in UPND don’t. We view it as an asset,” Hichilema said. “Maybe they are delaying to reopen the university so that they can delay the graduation because they do not have jobs to give the graduating students. The issue here is to allow CBU to reopen and nothing else.”

And in a joint statement, both CBUAU and Copperbelt University Workers Union (CBUWU) urged education minister Prof Geoffrey Lungwangwa to grant the student leadership audience so that they could give their side of the story on the allegations made against their membership by management.

“The conduct of students prior to the closure of the university on July 23, 2007 was a mere symptom of a huge underlying problem which appears to be lack of management talent on the part of University managers,” stated the unions in a letter that was issued by their respective general secretaries Collins Mutonga and Albert Kucheba. “We call upon the government to find a lasting solution to problems facing the university in consultation with all relevant stakeholders.”

Labels: CBU, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, UPND

posted by MrK @ 3:17 AM