…revokes Ben Phiri’s appointment
By ALVIN CHIINGA
PRESIDENT Sata is expected in Palabana today to lay a foundation stone for the construction of Palabana University.
The visit to Palabana comes barely two weeks after Mr Sata laid a foundation stone for the construction of Chalimbana University.
The President says the birth of Chalimbana and Palabana universities will be followed shortly by the upgrading of infrastructure in other universities that have been established so far.
This is according to a statement released yesterday by the President’s special assistant for press and public relations, George Chellah.
And President Sata has revoked the appointment of Ben Phiri as Luapula Province permanent secretary.
Mr Chellah said Mr Phiri, who was sworn in as Permanent Secretary last Friday, has been notified of the revocation.
About the new universities, the President said: “I am proud to announce that government has already completed the transformation of the Nkrumah College of Education in Kabwe into a fully fledged university of Social Sciences.
Government has further completed the transformation of the Copperbelt College of Education in Kitwe into Mukuba University of Natural Sciences.”
The establishment of the universities underscores the PF government’s determination to increase access to tertiary education, especially for young people, he said.
Most of the school-leavers compete for places at the University of Zambia, Copperbelt University and Mulungushi University.
The President also says Government is completing construction works at the Robert Kapasa Makasa University of Science and Technology in Chinsali.
President Sata said Government is determined to establish a university in each of the 10 provinces.
He said it is not right for the country to lag in education.
He said: “It is with dismay that regardless of the growing population, Zambia has for the past 49 years of independence lagged in the expansion of tertiary education, especially at university level, due to the limited number of universities in the country.
“It is for this reason that the Patriotic Front government is determined to change this scenario.”
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