PF Govt and UNZA Management Draconian in Their Approach to Bar Students from Writing Exams

Press Statement – UPND SA

18.11.20

What utter nonsense by the University to bar students from writing exams after a year of hard work  of study under difficult Covid19 conditions for UNZA students and others! The majority of these students the institution wants to bar from writing exams and  who cant pay these fees are from struggling Zambian families who are unable to meet the payments on timely basis due to circumstances imposed by the PF government . Some of these students depend on their retired parents and  relatives whose pension funds have not been paid by the government.
In well functioning states like  South Africa, such  struggling  students are allowed to write   exams but results are WITHHELD till an agreed portion has been settled.
All in all, it’s so embarrassing that the highest institution of learning in the country can come up with such  DRACONIAN MEASURES  at a time when it’s own government is FAILING to meet its commitments to Bondholders.  Talk of a broken society and a broken govt!
UPND SA wishes to remind the  PF failed government and UNZA management that development and democracy requires a well – functioning higher education system able to maximise the full potential of all the people of Zambia, poor or rich. We believe that access to, and success in, higher education  should be determined by student ability and application alone, and  implies addressing the many forms of social exclusion that prohibits such access and success.
We therefore applaud the actions of the students to place these issues at the centre of the national discourse.
We urge the PF govt and UNZA management to have empathy and sympathy  in their approach to struggling poor students.
Academic life of poor students matters too and deserves to be supported.

Bally will fix it.

Oliver Amutike

UPND SA Chapter Chairman.