By ADRIAN MWANZA
THOUSANDS of University of Zambia (UNZA) students have been deregistered and may not sit for their end of year examinations after failing to complete paying tuition fees. The students are racing against time because the examinations start in two weeks’ time, so those who have not finished paying tuition fees are at risk of not writing including those that had paid 75% of the fees.
But UNZA Vice Chancellor Professor Luke Mumba said that the students knew the procedure and that the institution had been very flexible by coming up with a payment plan that would assist even those that were less privileged.
Prof Mumba said that students were allowed to pay their fees in four instalments because UNZA understood the hardships sponsors were going through. He however said that students who had not completed paying their fees would not be allowed to sit for their exams.
Prof Mumba said that the money generated from the fees would be used in various activities that would help the school. He said according to the Finance Management Act it was actually a crime to fail to get revenue for the school and that he was just doing his job. Prof Mumba said it was unfortunate that students were misleading the nation by painting management black when they had tried by all means to ensure that they helped them.
‘’The problem is that most of the students have a sense of entitlement to the school which is not supposed to be the case and they have to follow procedure and do the right thing,’’ he said. Efforts to get Education Minister Douglas Syakalima proved futile as his mobile phone went unanswered.
