The Parliamentary committee on Budget and Finance has asked government to make available funds for National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) operations as the Council has a shortfall of k1 billion to fulfil its function.
The council is mandated to regulate and guide the establishment and management of higher education institutions as well as regulating the quality of higher education, equating qualifications and advising Government on higher education matters.
Ambumulire Phiri, Acting Chief Executive Officer for NCHE told the Committee on Thursday, that the Department had a budget of 2.9 Billion but the 2022/23 Budget allocated them 1.2 billion.
She said even after collecting moneys from universities registration, the department is still running short of 1 Billion kwacha.
Speaking to MIJ Online, Gladys Ganda Chairperson of the Budget and Finance committee asked government to make available the funds if the country is to improve the quality of education.
Ganda has also expressed concern over government’s indecisive to permanently recruit -NCHE’s top staff, which are still on acting basis.