New Higher Education Minister Brian Mushimba has announced the reinstatement of all expelled Copperbelt University students.
Dr. Mushimba told journalists today that the PF government is a listening one and has decided to pardon all those who were expelled recently in the wake of student unrest at the institution.
He also announced that CBU will reopen on August 19.
The second largest university in country has been closed for nearly four months after Mushimba’s predecessor at the Ministry of Higher Education, Nkandu Luo, closed the institution indefinitely following a series of riots that were triggered by a standoff between lecturers and university management. Several students where either expelled or suspended on grounds that they were responsible for the disturbances.
In the months that followed, Professor Luo refused to reopen the institution despite massive pressure from civil society and political players, insisting that government would only reopen CBU once security features such as CCTV were installed.
But Dr. Mushimba now says all the suspensions have been lifted and all expelled students have had their status reduced to suspensions.
“We are a listening government and we have listened to the cries of people,” Dr. Mushimba in a brief statement.
Meanwhile, Dr. Mushimba told journalists that the cost of repairs for the damage caused by rioting CBU students has been assessed and will be shared across all students when they return.