UNZASU advises govt to ‘clean mess’ at bursaries

UNZASU advises govt to ‘clean mess’ at bursaries
Written by Masuzyo Chakwe
Sunday, May 31, 2009 4:07:39 PM

THE University of Zambia Students Union (UNZASU) has stated that the government risks becoming very unpopular among students and the general citizenry if it does not clean the mess at the bursaries committee.

UNZASU president Duncan Nyirongo and publicity secretary Bertha Kalongelwa stated that the inefficiency at the bursaries committee was so alarming and detestable that students could not stand it any more.

The duo stated that it was unbelievable that the government had not given it the necessary attention in spite of appeals from students to the Ministry of Education to take charge of the deteriorating situation.

"One wonders as to whether someone benefits from the delays in delivering students allowances. The bursaries committee is well aware of the academic schedules of both universities from their points of commencement to closure, yet instead of generating an effective system through their several years of operation, their services are going from bad to worse as the recent occurrences at the Copperbelt University can testify," they stated.

"Only last week, the failure of the bursaries committee to fulfil its monthly obligation of allowance allocation resulted once again in student aggravation and demonstration."

UNZASU stated that no one on earth had ever recorded a successful study session on an empty stomach. The duo stated that it was common knowledge that 70 per cent of the country's population lived in poverty hence students depended on these loans for sustenance.

"But rather than focusing on studies, students spend their time stressed and struggling to make ends meet. It is our hope that the bursaries committee begins to think of the repercussions of their delays of allowances on the student," they stated.

"If meal allowances are to be given on a monthly basis, with book and project allowances given once a semester, why must students wait over two months for their first meal allowance, and only be given book and project allowances during exam period in the dying moments of the semester? What is the point of buying study material only days before your holiday begins? It does not make sense. Somebody should be ashamed of themselves."

They stated that it was up to the government to take full responsibility and ensure that good administration was secured at the bursaries committee by eradicating hiccups such as omissions of names from the allowance lists and their delays.

The union stated that if the problems at the bursaries committee were not addressed, the students would continue to exercise their democratic and constitutional right to peaceful demonstrations as their last resort to securing better services.

The duo stated that it was not possible that students at both universities lacked patience. They stated that it was time the government put its facts right.

"We feel that someone has been feeding the system with rotten information leading to the ultimate misleading of those responsible for our welfare. The entire government is seated on a volcano of which the epicentre is the bursaries committee. It is incumbent upon this government's leadership to save everyone on board," they stated.

"With the commencement of another academic year in only four weeks’ time, failure by government to take its responsibility, UNZASU will be compelled to intervene and help the government clean up the mess at the bursaries committee. We are moving with time. Long gone are the times when we would employ the infantry as well as the air force to secure victory."

They stated that UNZASU would react if pushed against the wall.