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Prof Musonda bemoans levels of investment in university education

Prof Musonda bemoans levels of investment in university education
By Zumani Katasefa in Kitwe
Sunday August 03, 2008 [12:47]

COPPERBELT University vice-chancellor Professor Mutale Musonda has observed that university education in Zambia has not grown to the desired levels due to lack of adequate investment. Speaking during the 17th graduation ceremony held on Friday, Prof Musonda noted that the private sector was not adequately investing in promotion of university education.

He noted that the concept of functional education as a catalyst for national development was widely accepted in the developing world, and universities were strategically placed in the realisation of this human endeavour.

He said there were tremendous opportunities for research and consultancy in Zambia, especially on the Copperbelt.

Prof Musonda added that there was also need to avoid spreading resources for research "too thinly and away from national universities" which were centres in the national systems for research and education.

"There should also be an attempt to build longer-term research structures that will be key to national cultural centres. Further, the move to support universities as centres of research assists in the development of postgraduate and doctoral programmes, which provide cutting-edge research for national development," he said.

Prof Musonda reiterated the need for public universities to be properly funded so that they can continue offering quality university education needed to produce competent human resource needed in the national development.

"Funding for research and development by both government and the private sector has, however, been limited and has contributed to the poor performance in the application of science and technology in national development. It seems the problem of funding is not so much a question of limited availability of funds but conviction in the value of investing in education," he said.

He added that policy makers and African entrepreneurs in general had not fully appreciated the return on investing in university education.
Speaking at the same occasion, CBU chancellor Prof Muyunda Mwanalushi bemoaned a low level of women participation in politics in Zambia.

"Despite the parity in the population of males and females, the latter still lag behind in national development. Inadequate or lack of education contributes to the low participation of females in national development.

Females have a higher dropout rate at all levels of the school system. In this regard universities are challenged to undertake research and to design programmes aimed at reversing the dropout rate of girls and to uplift the welfare of women," he said.

Five Hundred and eighty-eight students graduated yesterday.

Labels: CBU, EDUCATION, MUTALE MUSONDA

posted by MrK @ 8:14 PM