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The University of Zambia (UNZA) has dismissed allegations made by the Socialist Party that some students were attending lectures without adequate seating or classroom furniture, saying the claims did not reflect the current situation on campus.
The Socialist Party in a statement issued and published on Zambia Monitor had called on the government to urgently mobilise funds to procure desks for students at UNZA, amid reports that some learners were being forced to sit on the floor due to inadequate furniture.
In response, UNZA Registrar, Theresa Chalwe, said the assertions were inconsistent with the University’s ongoing efforts to improve its teaching and learning environment over recent years.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Chalwe said UNZA has continued to invest significantly in expanding and modernising infrastructure in line with rising student enrolments and long-term strategic goals.
She noted that government support had also strengthened infrastructure improvements across both the Great East Road and Ridgeway campuses.
Chalwe said the University had made substantial progress since 2020 in expanding teaching infrastructure across various schools and units.
“This includes the construction of two 300-seater lecture theatres under the Teaching and Learning Complex (funded through the East Park PPP), a 360-seater lecture theatre and four tutorial rooms at the Graduate School of Business (funded internally),” she said.
Additionally, she cited two lecture theatres under the Africa Centre of Excellence for Infectious Diseases of Humans and Animals (ACEIDHA) Project with capacities of 100 and 42—funded by the World Bank—and two new 250-seater lecture theatres at the School of Engineering funded by the African Development Bank.
Chalwe said the facilities collectively reflected the University’s sustained investments in providing “adequate and modern learning spaces for our students.”
She further said UNZA remained committed to infrastructure advancement, noting that a new 150-seater lecture theatre was under construction at Ridgeway Campus with support from the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and is expected to be commissioned in April 2026.
She added that the University was mobilising additional internal and external resources, including through its alumni network, to support the construction of more modern teaching facilities.
Chalwe also said the University was expanding its ICT infrastructure to promote blended learning in line with government policy on competence-based education.
“This approach will complement physical facilities, ease pressure on teaching spaces, and enhance access to flexible and innovative learning methods,” she said.
Chalwe assured that UNZA remained committed to providing a conducive academic environment for all students and staff.
Earlier, Socialist Party National Youth Secretary, Stanley Muba’sa, said in a statement issued in Lusaka on Tuesday that the situation reflected “deplorable conditions” at the institution and exposes the government’s failure to prioritise education.
“We condemn the government’s failure to provide adequate infrastructure and resources for our institutions of higher learning,” he said.
Muba’sa added that the situation underscored the need for radical reforms in the education sector, arguing that the country requires a system that puts “the needs of the people over profits.”
He urged the government to immediately address the infrastructure gap by providing sufficient classrooms, chairs and desks for all students.
“Government must allocate more funds to education to improve the quality of education and provide necessary resources,” he said.
Muba’sa also stressed the need to ensure that all universities had adequate sanitation facilities.
“We stand in solidarity with the UNZA students and call on all Zambians to join us in demanding that our government prioritizes education and provides a conducive learning environment for all,” he added.
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