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Expelled
students complete degree programmes
Students Solidarity Trust
November 24, 2006
Seven
students who were either expelled or suspended during their tertiary
education in Zimbabwe were honoured by the Students Solidarity Trust
last week after completing their university degrees elsewhere during
the course of this year’s "against all odds" consultative
meeting and ceremony held in Bulawayo on the 18th of
November 2006.
The
seven received their awards of honour at a ceremony, dubbed "The
against all odds" ceremony, attended by over 130 former &
current student leaders and activists. The function coincided with
the International Students Day, which is commemorated on the 17th
of November and was witnessed by SST board members, ZINASU
national council members, and various students organizations including
the Zimbabwe Students Christian Movement, the National Movement
of Catholic Students, Female Students Network, the Youth Initiative
for Democracy in Zimbabwe (YIDEZ) and SAYWHAT,
a students organization that deals with reproductive health issues.
The
majority of the students completed their studies through distance
education with the University of South Africa, and various local
colleges of their choice.
The
seven are Tamuka Chirimambowa, John Bomba, Evernice Munando – the
only female fellow in the trust, Eddington Shayanewako, Phillani
Zamchiya, Hillary Kundishora and Showers Mawowa. These students
were direct beneficiaries of the SST’s Students Social Safety Net
Programme. The programme avails funds for study grants, largely,
with UNISA and any other local college to politically victimised
human rights defender from the students’ movement.
"It
was a fitting recognition of the tremendous valour and courage displayed
by the fellows who managed to complete their degree programmes,
after having endured sustained persecution and victimization from
the incumbent Mugabe regime," says McDonald Lewanika, the Coordinator
of the SST.
At
the same event, honorary convocations were also awarded to students
who continued to fall victim to the University administration, going
through bouts of torture, harassment, arrests and systematic de-registrations
and suspensions. These are Phillip Pasirai, Benjamin Nyandoro, Washington
Katema, Masimba Kuchera Lawrence Mashungu, Gladys Hlatshwayo, Isaac
Chimutashu, and Otto Saki, who is nowan award winning human rights
lawyer and a board member of the Students Solidarity Trust.
"They
managed to attain their degrees, defying all odds,often, seeking
sanctuary under the SST’s Social Safety Net Programme,"said
Lewanika.
Activism
by students in Zimbabwe has been marred by the Zanu PF regime’s
ruthlessness which has seen students shot to death, brutalized and
arrested for demonstrating against increasing costs of education,
privatization and corruption as well as hardships caused by the
deteriorating economic conditions caused by the Government’s inept
policies and bad governance.
Visit
the Students Solidarity Trust fact
sheet
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