Strategies for Social Engagement: The University of Zambia Student Unrests
- January 8, 2020
- Posted by: RSIS
- Categories: IJRISS, Social Science
International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume III, Issue XII, December 2019 | ISSN 2454–6186
Strategies for Social Engagement: The University of Zambia Student Unrests
Brian Chanda Chiluba
The University of Zambia, School of Health Sciences
Abstract: – Students in higher institutions of learning have several needs to satisfy. At that level of education, they are impatient to end their dependence and strive for autonomy, to take on responsibility in various sectors of the society. This study uses a normative approach, the study of which refers to university unrests contained in different documents including; newspaper reports, published materials and views of students. Therefore, both primary and secondary data techniques were carried out by means of online research, interviews and observations. Data analysis was qualitative. The root causes of student unrest at the University of Zambia were due to accumulation of the unsolved issues. A combination of causes and the recurrence of these cases have contributed to student’s impatience. The analysis model used showed that in managing and resolving students’ unrest, the involvement of university management, government and students body is pertinent. The lack of early warning mechanism to detect problems and take immediate steps as soon as the symptoms of student’s unrest emerged caught the university unaware of what would happen.
Key words: University of Zambia; social engagement; unrest; riots
I. CONTEXTUAL OVER VIEW OF STUDENT UNREST OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ZAMBIA
The University of Zambia, the first public university in the country, was established by the University of Zambia Act of 1965 and consequently opened in 1966. The University had an initial challenge of producing professional and trained human resources to meet the needs of the rapidly growing economy that characterized the post-independence period.
The University has undergone a number of transformations regarding its governance and operations since the first University of Zambia Act (No. 66) of 1965. Among the provisions of the Act, the Chancellorship of the University was vested in the Head of State. The Chancellor, under the Act, was given the authority to appoint the Vice-Chancellor and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor. The University started with three Schools in 1966, namely Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences. In its first academic year, 1966, the University enrolled 312 students.
