GOVERNANCE EXPERT URGES GOV’T TO EXPAND EXISTING UNIVERSITIES INSTEAD OF BUILDING NEW ONES

GOVERNANCE EXPERT URGES GOV’T TO EXPAND EXISTING UNIVERSITIES INSTEAD OF BUILDING NEW ONES

Governance expert Reuben Lifuka has urged government to prioritize expanding and strengthening existing public universities instead of creating new ones, warning that the move could further strain the country’s higher education system.

Mr. Lifuka’s remarks follow a statement by President Hakainde Hichilema during the Youth Day celebrations on plans for government to establish more public universities in several provinces, including Southern Province, Northern Province and Luapula Province.

However, speaking in an interview with RCV News in Lusaka, Mr. Lifuka questioned whether the proposed institutions would be able to deliver quality education when existing universities are still facing serious operational challenges.

He noted that the country’s highest public university, University of Zambia, continues to grapple with financial difficulties, including outstanding payments owed to members of staff and retirees.
“The universities should not come at the expense of quality education,” said Mr. Lifuka.

He emphasized that government should avoid establishing universities merely for the sake of increasing numbers, stressing that any expansion in the higher education sector must be accompanied by the ability to deliver quality learning and sustainable operations.

Mr. Lifuka has instead called on government to increase the capacity of existing universities, arguing that expanding current institutions would be more effective than starting new ones and potentially spreading the challenges already facing the country’s public universities.

RCV