Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Prof. Stephen Simukanga HEA Director General
The High Education Authority (HEA) has directed the Copperbelt University (CBU) to continue running the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery and Bachelor of Dental Surgery Learning Programmes until further notice, overruling the Health Professions Council of Zambia which last week directed the CBU to stop offering the programmes for failure to meet set standards .
In a statement, HEA Director General Professor Stephen Simukanga states that as mandated by the Higher Education Act No.4 of 2013 Statutory Instrument No. 25 of 2016,the Higher Education Authority is the custodian of all Higher Education Institutions in Zambia,be it public or private, and has the authority to accredit learning programmes at these institutions.
Professor Simukanga say in May 2018 , the Bachelor of Medicine,Bachelor of Surgery and Bachelor of Dental Surgery Learning Programmes at CBU were audited by experts acting on behalf of HEA for purposes of accreditation.
He says preliminary findings of the audit indicated that the learning programmes had areas that needed improvement.
He explains that following the findings,HEA began a process of guiding CBU in thoroughly addressing the learning programmes’ deficiencies and had asked the Higher Education Institution to develop an implementation plan over a period of not more than one year.
Professor Simukanga states that as it was expertly determined that the shortcomings of the three learning programmes did not warrant their closure as continuous improvement of the programmes is instituted,CBU will continue providing these learning programmes while they address the shortcomings that have been identified.