THE University of Zambia (UNZA) and the Copperbelt University (CBU) are scheduled to reopen on or around April 10, 2016 subject to the institutions meeting conditions that Government has set.
Government will also operationalise the Higher Education Loans and Scholarship Board in January next year after Parliament adopts it.
Minister of Higher Education Michael Kaingu informed Parliament in Lusaka yesterday that Government has discontinued payment of meal allowances because they are a source of conflicts and have been abused by students.

The saddest part of it is that most of the things on the said allowance is wrong. if we go to who benefits and those who recommends and give you cant believe that these are Zambians working in their own countries. HE Edgar lungu you need to clear your system sir. you are being mislead by those who are interested in money only and UPND suporters in your system. we cant have so much changes in an election year. Pliz flash them out.
These are good measures but they have come at the wrong time. only people with the heart of this country will support them.
where is my comment?
It is here man…
What happens to the students meals the fend for themselves. I am confused.
Crisis looming. Who will be cooking for all the students????? Poverty family at it’s best thinking.
Pf it is you who has failed to ensure that the meal allowances are not an issue of conflict. Do not blame students. If you promise people something and then fail to deliver it shouldn’t come as a shock when you are greeted with protests. Many people rely and plan on those allowances. Just because you can send your child to Malaysia does not mean every one can afford basic needs. Giving students conditions for their universal right to education is really pathetic and a sign of the ignorance under pf. Students vote upnd in august if you have a brain
The pf has lost touch with the poor people who voted them in. They have tasted power and money and now have become so heavy hearted. Here where I am in Switzerland where I am concluding my tour, they are surprised that zambia university are shut and that the ruling party are still in power. Because if such happened here government would be dissolved.
Name two state run universities in Switzerland you loud mouth idiot. State one that throws out cash even to potential failures like yourself.
Yes, this system has been skewed from of old. Though I benefited from it, I saw so much waste such that my heart bleeds for Zambia’s extravagance. Just introduce the credit card system for students. I tell you, some some will graguate and start work being bankrupt.
Why the insults boss? Can we learn to be civil please. This is not a pf beer hall. So all those empty heads in pf government have only realised that the universities have been wasteful? It takes you students rioting to realise that there is a problem some where. You chaps have been sleeping and in august we will wake you up to reality when lungu cries like rb did
Where are the insults? I thought it was you you vehemently defended the notion that ‘the word idiot’ is not an insult but a description of your level of reasoning capacity? Now you feel it. Good. Mission accomplished.
It’s an insult to call a learned man like myself an idiot and to not give valid arguments. I have asked you a question regarding university in my reply and yet your trivial brain has chose only to concentrate on insult allegation. Please answer my question. Are you saying the pf have only just realised the problems at unza l?
If you cant afford then do not to those institutions
You must be a dunderhead that never went through University and is ignorant of real issues. Please do not comment else we will portray foolishness in the public.
In developed countries, you will find collaborations between universities/colleges and the industry or Govt. EG., Trade Kings can ask the Uni to improve stain removal capacity of their washing powder or Samsung can ask the college to make their phones thinner etc. The Uni gets paid for the research (R&D), the students learn and compete in the R&D; the company wins by improving its product. The economy grows and we start calling it “an advanced economy”. South Korea, China, USA.
But this is almost impossible in economies like ours and it is BY CHOICE. Which foolish company will give UNZA R&D money when any time the school may close? Food for thought to both students and leaders.
We need to think above petty.
Mr. Ibu doesn’t know that Meal Allowances are paid out by an Act of Parliament which is not yet amended.
What happens when Lecturers go on Strike should students simply sit idle waiting 4 Kaingu to address them with his broken English?
The issue of Meal Allowance can only be understood and best articulated by people who have passed thru UNIS like the President. So let the president advise if there’s time for a student to research,cook and studyand the Kitchen to cook from.
This government has just failed, period! May i hear a useless cadre supporting PF. Our universities have been running in all previous administrations but now Paya Family is really destroying all that was left. One day things will happen.
@Parent,, Kaingu was annoucing that in parliament, and he said after all modalities are put in place on or by 10 April that means even the act will be repealed. Some of us have sent our children to private universities and are paying through the nose so just brace yourselves for that as well.
The chances are that your children were sent to private universities because they never met the standards for the University of Zambia which is highly competitive. Forgive me if your children got 6 points. Otherwise let the government pay for the majority of our people who can not afford livelihood at the university. It is a necessary and worthwhile investment. If you can afford please shut up.
Elo nomba balatombwa no meal allowance!!! Pantu bafiyo aready maule mawe
The students at private Universities are free to apply if they have met the criteria to be picked if not even at private Universities they are there for business purposes.
Students shouldnt beg for food from Govt because the law has been there before P F so it has just been mismanaged. Way forward PF must go.
What does the law say on Lecturers’ strikes and closures?
@Maroy, my man not parent can afford to fend for your children like you.Your coment simply means only children of the rich and midle class have privelage for tertiary education.People cant aford even 2 meals in a day.Mwebantu where will such a parent find money for a child’s meals?
Meal allowances out, now its survival of the fittest.
y open just close it untill next year.
Ps U are an educated fool wo did not hv a chance to study at UNZA OR CBU thats y hv a careless mouth. Foooool
@cholwe the guy tod u, i hav no vision but u went ahead and followd the cadres who ar not educated like kambwili and voted 4 the no vision man and u even so the pangas in kabwe ati he is ok. so wat do u espect a fresh fish in the desert, no my friend.
And we ESPECT you to be educated?
how much were thoz same meal allowances per student?
they should have just opened these two campuses after 11 august elections, a week after voting. because i can see another problem coming with bashi iris still a minister of high education.
I diots upnd supporters what the government is saying is that students will be given free meals and book and project allowances.what the government doesnt want is students to riot over meals.This is a good move and we should support this unlike the idiot who is saying vote for HH.Hakainde should start from the grassroots (councillor) before he can aspire for presidency no wonder he fails.(four times).If your child fails FOUR TIMES what would you do as a responsible parent?
@cholwe, this is the lesson to the same students and others who just vote bcoz they hate or bcoz sum1 can tok bemba minwhile the same guy they ar voting 4 tod them i hav no vision.
@ ps, I disagree with choolwe, wht point ar u tryng to prove abt no vsion?two posts u ar jst talkng ablt samething?u ar nt uneducated fool bt jst a bush fool.ECL himself explained to people after the UPNDs strtd sayng he says hs got no vision and all people hs 4gotn ablt tht issure only u n other fools who want to prove a point whre thers no point UPND used a no vission issu in last campaighn elections and people ddnt vote 4 upnd and u think u go to people again to tell them that n u ll get votes.people ar tired listening to de lies and hate speaches frm oposition n post news paper.copper price is now @ 5,027 dollar per tonne let’s see wher upnd ll reach wit its lies.
@talkmore u just an idiot panga carrying cadre. fools cannot sense danger as long as there bellies ar full. u cant understand me bcoz u surpot the degree holder who failed to use his degree and joind politics to eat. kikikikik he want the degree studying students to start selling beers in tarvens.
Such ‘impasase’ in a seemingly small country like ours should not be the norm of our social websites.Insulting each other and declaring your own brothers and sisters as idiots or fools wont help quench the heat of the moment,It will only aggravate your already upset emotions.you know what,Iam not completely on the side of any party but to start with,the govt’s decision to cut down the meal allowances will only be fair ‘if and only if’ they provide another lasting alternative to the ‘vulnerable’ students welfare…’ie they shud put into play the loan system now rather than the january 2017 they are proposing.I was a student @ main campus and I fully benefited from the ths meal allowance commonly known as ‘BC’.I regret to say but it single handedly saw me through.Had it not been for bc,our country would have lacked a full fledged doctor that iam now.What am trying to say is there are a lot of brilliant minds out there but yet too vulnerable to push themselves to greater heights and surely it will be a hard ride for these students if this decision is not revised.right now,things look so easy and within touching distance but when these two institutions re-open and the real scourge is felt,things wont be the same anymore.ba govt,just take your time and assess all areas when making such decisions.You never really realise how many people’s lives you’ve made better with the latter system of bc until you witness the fruits with your own eyes.Its sad we are all humans just crawling towards our inevitable graves but yet still tryina survive and enjoy the brief life given to us by GOD.Of course,we arent born the same into the same families,some are fortunate enough to glare @ golden plates all their lives while others have to dig it out to earn a close to standard lifestyle,but surely this is just mere melancholy,we all humans,lets take time and think of others and and help all we can to make their desired dreams come to pass.we are all connected,life doesnt end here…’,we all err,we all slip up and as such those in the governing spots should not act as judges,thats for GOD ….!I alone and neither my fellow youths wont change your minds on this.But if you know God,….then you will make the right decision. ‘
I feel its initial unfair for the students that comes from poor families cos it’s hard to provide for da house n start even sending food stuff for a student ….you ar disturbing the students mind…