Zambia closes public university due to student unruly behavior

LUSAKA, April 5 — Authorities in Zambia on Friday closed the country’s second biggest public universities following unruly behavior by students who have damaged public properties in recent days to expressed their anger on a number of issues.
The government has since ordered all the students at the Copperbelt University situated in Kitwe city on the Copperbelt Province to vacate the campus while student union activities have been suspended.
Minister of Higher Education Nkandu Luo said the university has been closed due to unruly behavior of the students, she told reporters during a press briefing, according to Diamond Television.
The examinations which were scheduled to commence on Monday, April 8, 2019 have since been postponed and will only be written when the university reopens, she added.
The university has witnessed a number of protests in recent weeks due to various issues.
Early this week, the student staged protest in solidarity with lecturers who were protesting over the delay in getting their monthly salaries while a few days later they protested against management decision to stop some of them from writing examination on account of non-payment of fees and not meeting the academic quota to be eligible to write examinations.
On Wednesday, President Edgar Lungu said that his government will not hesitate to close the country’s two biggest public universities known for unruly conduct by students each time they had a grievance.
Lungu said his government will deal sternly with unruly students at both the Copperbelt University (CBU) and the University of Zambia (UNZA) who were in the habit of damaging public property whenever aggrieved.

Xinhua