By RABECCA CHIPANTA –

. NONDE-SIMUKOKO

THE Patriotic Front (PF) has urged students at the University of Zambia (UNZA) and Copperbelt University (CBU) to avoid being used as tools of destruction by opposition party elements, especially in an election year.
PF Central Committee chairperson for labour and social security, Joyce Nonde-Simukoko said when students, who are the pride of the nation, are manipulated and used as tools of destruction by politicians to achieve their selfish political ambitions, it derails their academic calendar.
She said such vices lead to closures of the universities, which in turn lead to delays in students completing their studies.
“What UNZA and CBU students must realise is that those politicians encouraging them to conduct riotous behaviour have children who are studying in private universities or abroad, so they don’t mind the damage and closures,” she said.
She urged the students to understand that time wasted due to delays in their graduation was never recovered, and working life was very short.
Ms Simukoko said attaining an education was an opportunity cost which should be used wisely by the university graduates to contribute to the productivity and economic growth of the country.
She said the longer the students took to complete their studies, the more they deprived the job market of their essential skills.
Ms Simukoko said both university and college students at all institutions of higher learning should be more innovative and creative to be future drivers of new companies to create more employment opportunities.
She said some of the biggest global corporations today were founded by university students even before they graduated.
She advised the students that instead of being used as political tools, they should be innovative, creative and engage in entrepreneurship to contribute to the country’s growth.
Ms Simukoko said students should understand that even when public workers experienced delays in getting their salaries in the past, they did not resort to riotous behaviour and looting.
She called on them to emulate public service workers as they would be joining the job market soon.