LUSAKA - President Hakainde Hichilema says he will push for an expanded internship programme in his second term, which will see students attached to companies while still in their second or third year of study.
President Hichilema said the programme is intended to give students practical work experience before they graduate and improve their chances of securing employment after completing their studies.
"In the second term, Bally will push the issue of internships so that when you are still in second year or third year, we attach you to a company so that when you complete school, you already have a job," President Hichilema said.
He said the initiative would help bridge the gap between classroom learning and the workplace by exposing students to practical experience while they are still pursuing their studies.
President Hichilema was speaking yesterday during an interaction with students from different learning institutions at State House.
The President also said government plans to expand the bursary programme to more colleges and universities across the country.
Government initially started with public institutions, but the President now intends to extend the programme beyond government institutions.
"We want to expand bursaries to more colleges and universities across the country. That's our plan and that's our programme," the President said.
President Hichilema said students should not be treated differently based on whether they attend public or private institutions.
"A student in a public college or university is not different from a student in a private college or university, they are all citizens of Zambia," he said.
Meanwhile, during the same event, Levy Mwanawasa Medical University students presented President Hichilema with a degree in "Kwenyunology", saying that he had achieved a lot of things and deserved to be awarded.
Source: Kalemba | By: George Musonda