Vice Chancellors claim that TEVETA has not de-registered Cavendish University, LIUTEBM

By Staff Reporter, Lusaka 

The managements of Cavendish University and Livingstone International University of Tourism Excellence and Business Management (LIUTEBM) have reacted to a statement issued by The Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training Authority (TEVETA) in which the two among other thirty institutions were deregistered for failure to maintain minimum training standards. 

But LIUTEBM Vice Chancellor Professor Patrick Kalifungwa says the university is registered to offer academic degrees under the Ministry of Higher Education and regulated by the Higher Education Authority and not TEVETA. 

He says it misleading and mischievous for TEVETA to misinform the public with unfounded and incorrect information about LIUTEBM. 

Professor Kalifungwa says the misinformation has caused a lot of misgiving and emotional pain to the University, current, past, future students and professionals. 

Professor Kalifungwa has since given TEVETA Director General David Chakonta two days to retract his statement on the de-registration of the university or face legal action. 

And Cavendish University Vice Chancellor, Professor Mutale Musonda has also informed the general public, current and prospective students that the institution is registered under Higher Education Authority (HEA) and not under TEVETA. 

Professor Musonda adds that Cavendish does not offer technical and vocational training programmes and thus, it is not regulated by TEVETA. 

Meanwhile TEVETA issued a statement in which Registration Certificates of 32 training institutions were revoked for failure to maintain minimum training standards.  

TEVETA Director General David Chankota said the 32 institutions failed to provide qualified trainers, adequate infrastructure, equipment and workshops and credible management system meriting training. 

Among the institutions that have been deregistered include, Copperbelt International College, Evergreen Institute of Commercial Management and Industrial Arts, City College of Management, Kara Counseling and Training Centre, Umoyo Training Centre among other colleges. 

Speaking during a medical briefing, Mr. Chankota also noted that the main quality problems include skills gaps flagged by industry in graduates seeking employment and graduate entrepreneurs lacking competitive product standards underpinning goods and services. 

Mr Chikonta observed that there is a shift from Technical and vocational training to business training by TEVET institutions which threatens Zambia’s competitiveness in the regions. 

He stressed that colleges should ensure that they provide quality education to their students in order to benefit the country. 

And Mr. Chankota said the Authority has disbursed K5.8 million to 15 institutions under the Support for Science Education and Training (STEP) project. 

He said this will increase access to TEVET and improve efficiency and productivity among Small Medium Enterprise and Informal sector players.