UNZA lecturers on go slow,demand excess teaching load allowance

LECTURERS at the University of Zambia (UNZA) Great East Road campus have gone on a go-slow demanding payment of last term’s excess teaching load allowance.

 
But Ministry of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education permanent secretary in charge of science and technology Patrick Nkanza said the strike by the lecturers is not justified.
University of Zambia Lecturers and Researchers Union (UNZALARU) president Euston Chiputa said in an interview yesterday that the lecturers have resolved to go on strike following a meeting held on Thursday last week.
Excess teaching load is paid on the basis of lecturers handling large classes in excess of 75 students.
“The university has more than 28,000 students but it was intended for 4,000,” he said.
Dr Chiputa said lecturers are currently not teaching but are performing other duties such as marking and giving assignments to the students.
“We are going to the end of the academic year, yet excess teaching load for the second term has not been paid,” he said.
The lecturers are also demanding payment of pensions and gratuity.
“From January 2012 to date, pensions have not been paid, gratuities have not been paid and now the institution is failing to pay excess teaching load,” he said.
Professor Nkanza said in an interview yesterday that the matter is internal and UNZA management and workers must resolve it as soon as possible to avoid academic programmes.
“Management has explained the reason for the delay in payments, so this is not a good reason for the lecturers to stay away from work,” he said.

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