SIMON MUNTEMBA writes
STUDENTS from higher learning institutions who are planning to march to Parliament over issues of meal allowances will not be tolerated, the Zambia Police has warned.
Zambia Police public relations officer, Esther Katongo said in a statement that the police had information that students were planning to march to Parliament over issues of meal allowances.
Ms Katongo, however, warned that police will not tolerate any acts of lawlessness in the country adding that all those involved in the planned activity will be dealt with accordingly.
She added, “We already have details of those orchestrating the protest. We therefore warn those involved that should the planned activity materialize, we are not going to spare them.”
And Ms Katongo has advised the aggrieved students to follow the laid down procedures in airing their grievances as opposed to taking to the streets.
Recently, Higher education minister Professor Nkandu Luo announced the abolishment of meal allowances for public university students.
Prof. Luo explained that considering the increasing number of higher education institutions in Zambia, both public and private who must benefit from the Student Loan Scheme, new beneficiaries would not be granted loans equivalent to their applications.
“This means that all new loan beneficiaries will be granted a single disbursement of funds per semester or year as the Higher Education Loans and Scholarships Board may determine in line with the higher education loans and scholarships Act No. 31 of 2016,” she said.
Prof Luo said it had become necessary that available resources be spread to all public universities and progressively as funds begin to increase, extend to the other higher education institutions.
