Over three thousand one hundred students at the University of Zambia (UNZA) appeared on the database for the bursaries but were not registered on the Government student database.

According to the latest Auditor General’s Report, a comparison of the invoices from UNZA for sponsored students to the database of Bursaries Committee supported students revealed that 3,568 students were appearing on the UNZA invoice but not on the bursaries list of Government supported students.

The report indicates that as a result, the University over billed Government in amounts totalling K71, 082, 937 for the 3,568 students.

In addition, it was observed that there were 3,191 students who appeared on the bill but were not on the overall registered GRZ Sponsored students database.

During the year under review, the Bursaries Committee paid accommodation refunds in amounts totalling K2, 581, 975 to 1,980 students despite appearing on the list of students accommodated by the University and amounts totalling K2, 192, 239 in respect of accommodation were invoiced.

As at 31st August 2018, the amounts paid to the students had not been recovered.

During the year under review, meal allowances in amounts totalling K19,503,068 were paid to 3,864 students who did not appear on the list of students on the University Invoices.

As a result, it was not possible to ascertain whether the payments were made to intended students.

And during the year under review, the Ministry was invoiced amounts totalling K177,053,350 in respect of accommodation and tuition fees for eight thousand one hundred forty seven (8,147) sponsored students at the Copperbelt University.

According to the Copperbelt University invoice amounts totalling K136,113,119 were paid during the period under review, leaving a balance of K40,940,232 from the total accrued amount.

A comparison of the students invoiced bill to the database of bursaries committee supported students revealed that 8,147 students were invoiced compared to the 7,228 students that were supported by bursaries committee resulting in overbilling to Government in amounts totalling K12,431,671 for 919 students.

A comparison of the university bill to the overall CBU databases revealed three hundred seventy seven (377) students that were billed but were not appearing on the CBU GRZ sponsored students database.

Consequently, it was not clear how the students were included on the bill if they were not part of the overall CBU GRZ sponsored students.

A comparison of the CBU GRZ sponsored students to the bursaries committee supported students revealed that there were 1,988 students who were appearing on the Bursaries database of GRZ supported students but were not found on the CBU overall GRZ sponsored students.

Consequently, it was not clear how bursaries was supporting students who were not on CBU database.