Luo pledges to sniff out varsity rubble rousers
Thu, 04 May 2017 09:40:07 +0000
By AARON CHIYANZO
I WILL use the 10 day closure of Mulugushi University to prune out students that are causing problems in the university and will not allow lawlessness in any institution of higher learning, Minister of Higher Education Nkandu Luo has charged.
Professor Luo said that she would not allow lawlessness in any institution of higher learning because those were ‘‘institutions of excellence and not riots’’.
She reiterated that she would use the 10-day closure of Mulugushi University near Kabwe which was shut down by Government last week following week-long student unrest, to prune out students who were causing problems at the campus.
The minister said this when she officiated at the Labour Day celebrations in Isoka district in Muchinga Province.
“I will expel all students that are found wanting, ring leaders whose role in the institutions are to destabilize the process of learning and the peace in the institutions.
“I will use the 10 days’ closure of Mulugushi University to prune out students that are causing problems in the university,” she said.
Prof Luo warned that she would not close any university but instead deal with the individuals causing problems in the institutions during her time in office as minister.
She said that higher learning institutions were centres of excellence and that they should not be used as arenas for chaos.
Mulungushi University was closed after students rioted and caused damage to property.
Prof Luo, who announced the closure, said that students were given up to last Monday to pack their property and vacate the premises.
She said students would only be allowed to return to the university on May 15th 2017 after their parents and guardians sign commitment letters giving conditions for their readmission.
The minister also suspended all union activities at the University.
Last week, police in Kabwe arrested a number of students who ran amok, destroying university property and private vehicles.
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