Zambia Qualification Authority (ZAQA) says it is conducting a 10-day verification of qualification exercise at the University of Zambia (UNZA) during the orientation period that has seen students across the country.

In an interview with ZANIS, ZAQA Corporate Communications Specialist, Inutu Mwanza, says that her institution is also conducting sensitisation for students in order to ensure that they are informed on its lawful mandate.

“The university has followed the law by requesting that before they admit them, they should have their certificates verified, so to make it easy for them, we thought that explaining in person would be better, because some are coming from far-flung areas, and don’t know where ZAQA is.

Ms Mwanza clarified that there is no conflict between the Examination Council of Zambia (ECZ) and her institution, stating that the duo is concluding talks for system integration that will ensure the process is sped up.

She also said that although it takes 14 days to verify qualifications, it is possible for the Authority to verify in two days or more, provided that all requirements have been put in place.

An Engineering student at UNZA, Wesly Nomoonde, expressed concerns that the verification process is tedious, and that the Authority must reduce it to less than 14 days in order to ensure that it benefits everyone.

Meanwhile, University of Zambia Students Union (UNZASU) Vice President, Jemimah Mwaba, commended ZAQA on their presence, stating that it will go a long way in helping students who do not know how to navigate Lusaka.

ZAQA is targeting to verify over 100 new qualifications during the 10-day stay at UNZA, away from those that had been stalled due to system challenges.