Act of Parliament No. 19
| Long title | An Act to establish the Copperbelt University; and to provide for matters connected with or incidental to the foregoing. |
|---|---|
| Citation | Act No. 19 of 1987 |
| Enacted by | |
| Territorial extent | Republic of Zambia |
| Commenced | |
| Status | Repealed |
The term Act of Parliament No. 19 has been assigned to different statutes in different years. The most notable is the Copperbelt University Act, 1987 (Act 19 of 1987), which established the Copperbelt University as a successor to the University of Zambia in Ndola and laid down its governance framework during the late-UNIP era.[1] The 1987 Act was later repealed and replaced by the University Act, 1992, and the national higher-education framework has since moved under the Higher Education Act, 2013.[2][3]
Background
Before 1987, the Copperbelt campus operated as the University of Zambia at Ndola (UNZANDO). Act 19 of 1987 separated and incorporated the Copperbelt campus as a stand-alone public university with powers to teach, research and award degrees.[4] The Act’s text also defined key offices (Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, Librarian, Bursar) and created a Council and Senate to run the institution.[5]
Main provisions of Act 19 of 1987 (Copperbelt University)
- Establishment and functions (Part II). Section 3 establishes “a university by the name and style of the Copperbelt University” as the successor to UNZANDO, with functions to provide higher education, promote research and disseminate knowledge without discrimination.[6]
- Chancellor and principal officers (ss.4–9). The President is the Chancellor and titular head, presiding over ceremonial assemblies and conferring degrees; a Vice-Chancellor serves as the academic and administrative head; a Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, Librarian and Bursar are provided for by statute.[7]
- Ministerial powers (s.10). The Minister may issue regulations by statutory instrument after consulting the Council or Senate, and is to be kept informed on matters of public interest concerning the university.[8]
- Council (Part IV). The Council is a body corporate with general control of property and policy, and it may charge fees, hire staff, accept grants, borrow and conduct businesses for university purposes. Its membership (s.13) reflected the governance model of the era: senior university officers; external members; local-authority and alumni nominees; students and non-academic staff; and, notably, three members nominated by the ruling “Party” (defined as the United National Independence Party) plus four Permanent Secretaries (finance, natural resources, lands, higher education) and two MPs.[9]
- Senate and academic governance (Part V). The Senate controls academic policy, admissions and examinations, may recommend the creation or dissolution of Schools/Institutes, and may deprive a person of an award obtained by fraud or dishonourable conduct.[10]
- Staff and students; discipline; savings (Part VI). Provides for staff appointments and discipline, student discipline (with appeal avenues), and transitional “savings” and property-transfer arrangements in a Schedule.[11]
Subsidiary legislation
One identified instrument under the Act is the Copperbelt University (Students Council of Representatives) (Revocation) Regulations, 1991), S.I. No. 39 of 1991.[12]
Repeal and subsequent framework
The University Act, 1992 (Act 26 of 1992) created a general framework for public and private universities and expressly repealed the 1987 University of Zambia Act and the 1987 Copperbelt University Act.[13] The 1992 Act was itself replaced by the University Act, 1999, and the current regime is governed by the Higher Education Act, 2013 (Act 4 of 2013), which established the Higher Education Authority and repealed the 1999 Act.[14]
Other Acts numbered 19
Because “Act No. 19” is an ordinal that recurs each legislative year, it also labels unrelated statutes in other years, for example:
- National Registration Act, 1964 (Act 19 of 1964) — framework for national registration and NRCs (as amended).[15]
- Immigration and Deportation (Amendment) Act, 2016 (Act 19 of 2016).[16]
- Customs and Excise (Amendment) Act, 2018 (Act 19 of 2018).[17]
- Zambia National Public Health Institute Act, 2020 (Act 19 of 2020).[18]
- Criminal Procedure Code (Amendment) Act, 2023 (Act 19 of 2023).[19]
See also
References
- ↑ Copperbelt University Act, 1987, s.3(1) (establishment and successor institution).
- ↑ University Act, 1992, p. 3 (repeals 1987 Acts).
- ↑ Higher Education Act, 2013 (Act 4 of 2013), preamble (repeals and replaces the University Act, 1999).
- ↑ Copperbelt University Act, 1987, s.3(1)–(3).
- ↑ Copperbelt University Act, 1987, ss.4–9, 11–12, 20–25 (principal officers; Council; Senate).
- ↑ Copperbelt University Act, 1987, s.3(1)–(2).
- ↑ Copperbelt University Act, 1987, ss.4–9.
- ↑ Copperbelt University Act, 1987, s.10.
- ↑ Copperbelt University Act, 1987, ss.11–13; definition of “Party” and composition set out at pp. 150, 153–154 of the gazetted text.
- ↑ Copperbelt University Act, 1987, ss.20–23 (powers include admissions, exams, awards; Boards of Studies); s.21(3) (deprivation of awards).
- ↑ Copperbelt University Act, 1987, ss.26–29 and Schedule.
- ↑ Copperbelt University Act, 1987 (ZambiaLII “Subsidiary legislation” listing: Statutory Instrument 39 of 1991).
- ↑ University Act, 1992, p. 3 (repeal clause).
- ↑ HEA, State of Higher Education in Zambia 2021, pp. 10–11 (1992 → 1999 transition); Higher Education Act, 2013, preamble (repeals University Act, 1999).
- ↑ Citizenship Rights Africa, summary and text links.
- ↑ Immigration and Deportation (Amendment) Act, 2016, PDF.
- ↑ Parliament of Zambia: Act 19 of 2018, PDF.
- ↑ Zambia NPHI Act, No. 19 of 2020, PDF.
- ↑ Parliament of Zambia: Act 19 of 2023, PDF.