Monday, October 20, 2008

UNZA deregisters students for non-payment of tuition fees

UNZA deregisters students for non-payment of tuition fees
By Masuzyo Chakwe
Monday October 20, 2008 [04:00]

THE University of Zambia has deregistered 129 students in the school of education and 53 in the school of humanities for not settling their tuition fees. But dean of students Hector Chiboola said no one in the school of education had been deregistered. According to a notice, the students were deregistered for non-payment of tuition fee balances for the 2008 semester.

University of Zambia Students Union (UNZASU) vice-president Duncan Nyirongo also confirmed yesterday that the 182 students who were deregistered would not be able to pursue the rest of the academic year.

He said that was a clear indication that those students were vulnerable. He appealed to the government to consider them first when offering bursaries.

Nyirongo called on UNZA management to rescind its decision and understand that it was not easy to get education up to university level.

"UNZASU condemns in the strongest term the action taken by the university to deregister hundreds of students who have not yet settled their tuition fees. We are calling upon all Zambians who understand the importance of university education to join hands in calling for the reinstating of the deregistered students," said Nyirongo.

And Nyirongo expressed displeasure in the manner the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) was handling the presidential elections.

He said the commission was failing the electoral process in Zambia.

"The Commission has exhibited incompetence of the highest degree ever. Its integrity has been brought to question.

“The Commission has a mammoth task to win back respect from the Zambians. Voting is a democratic right to all citizens, especially those who have attained the age of 18. Henceforth, the ECZ should be seen to facilitate the exercise of continuous voter registration. In any case, the Electoral Reform Technical Committee (ERTC) of 2004 recommended continuous voter registration and the late president Levy Mwanawasa did agree with the ERTC recommendations," he said.

Nyirongo also warned all non-students that had been masquerading in the name of UNZASU in a desperate move to win support for their preferred candidates to desist from such practices or risk stern legal action against them

He urged all students to campaign and vote for their preferred candidates not on the basis of the chances of them winning but rather, the quality and the vision they had for Zambia.

"Voting is not all about your candidate wining an election but about one's conviction of the good change that a person can bring to Zambia," said Nyirongo.

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