A CREDIT RESULT WITHOUT MONEY IS USELESS BUT THE SAME CREDIT RESULT WITH MONEY IS VERY MUCH ACCEPTABLE NEEDED. WHY?

After completing my grade 12 in western province with good results (12points), I decided to go and study Pharmacy at a college in Lusaka Zambia. The first time I went there, I was alone with my good results and I was 100% sure that I was going to be accepted so that I may start studying Pharmacy. But to my surprise, only to be told that it was difficult for me to be given space to study Pharmacy because my results were not all that good. I asked why it was difficult because I had 12 points. The lady in the admissions office said, at this college for someone to study Pharmacy he or she needed to have 6 points only. I looked at her and I looked at the requirements which stated, “the results must be credit or better” and l had 12 points all coming from distinctions and merits only. I reminded her of the requirements for one to study Pharmacy there and compared with my results but she said, “Pharmacy at here is on demand so with these results, you can only choose other courses”. I tried to explain of the distance I travelled from western to Lusaka but to no avail. I left the admissions office and went away.

Being a person who is focused on what I wanted, I did not attempt to go to a different college or university but instead I just went home in western province disappointed.

Whilst in western province, I told a friend of mine who was already working as Pharmacy technologist who graduated from the same college about everything that had happened to me. He then told me this; “If you want to do a health course at that college, you must meet one of the following:

 1. Have a relative already working at there, or

 2. Use a relative in higher/bigger political office through commands, or

3. Have money to bribe people in admissions office and this can only be done on your behalf by someone they already know otherwise they may suspect something.

Out of desperation, I organized some money, I talked to someone who was there he also confirmed the same and he was willing to help me in that corrupt way.

I later went back to Lusaka the following year. When I reached the college, I gave my documents to this friend of mine, he went into the admissions office. When he came back, he told me they wanted a K2,000.00($88). I deeply thought about it and lucky enough I had some cash. So we went together in the office I paid the money and filled in my details on the application form. Soon after some few weeks, my acceptance letter was out. I commenced with my studies, and after 3 years I passed well and now I am working.

Now are you feeling what I went through? A credit without money is useless but the same credit with money is very much needed, why?

Lusaka Province