Higher Education Authority announces plan to introduce seal on student certificates

The Higher Education Authority (HEA) will this year introduce a certification seal for students from higher learning institutions.

This seal would be placed on the certificates of students graduating from the higher learning institutions in Zambia.

It’s Acting Director-General, Martin Mushumba, made the announcement during his presentation at the HEA’s End of 2023 virtual symposium.

He explained that the measure was essential to enhance quality assurance in the higher education subsector.

“This will allow us to prioritise the welfare of learners by ensuring that when they graduate their certificates are not questioned,” Mushumba stated.

According to a statement issued by the Authority’s Corporate Communications Officer, Birbal Musoba,

Mushumba urged the higher learning institutions to prioritise student’s well-being and address issues related to accommodation crisis.

“Address the accommodation crises being faced by students who are being subjected to inhumane conditions in the boarding houses dotted around shanty compounds,” he said.

He added that students needed to feel and be safe when studying.

Mushumba also emphasized that Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) should prioritise accommodation for international students, aiming to position Zambia as a prominent study hub in the region.

“We have the potential to become a leading hub in education in Southern Africa as evidenced by the desire for students to come and study in Zambia due to the strength on our education system,” Mushumba urged.

To attain this goal, he recommended that HEIs should guarantee safe and secure accommodation in close proximity to the campuses for international students coming to study in Zambia.

Furthermore, the Acting Director-General called on HEIs to invest in infrastructure development.

“The standard of infrastructure is worrying considering that some students come from better secondary schools than the universities and colleges they end up joining,” he said.

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