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High fees push Zim students out of colleges
ZimOnline
January 11, 2007

http://www.zimonline.co.za/Article.aspx?ArticleId=718

BULAWAYO - Thousands of students at tertiary colleges in Zimbabwe failed to attend classes on Tuesday after the government increased tuition and boarding fees by more than 1 000 percent.

Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) secretary general, Beloved Chiweshe, said thousands of students had failed to turn up for the new semester because of the high fees.

Chiweshe said the situation had been worsened because most colleges were refusing to accept part payments for tuition fees.

The ZINASU secretary general vowed to mobilise students to force the government to reverse the fee increments.

"These fees are ridiculous, students cannot afford to pay these fees and that is the reason tertiary institutions are deserted.

"The authorities should brace for massive protests because as students we cannot take this any more," said Chiweshe.

According to the new fees structures announced at government-run tertiary institutions, students at polytechnic colleges will pay tuition fees of $ 115 000 up from $15 000 they paid last year.

Hostel fees had also shot up to $200 000 per semester, up from the $50 000 they paid last semester.

Students at teachers colleges will now fork out $120 000 in tuition fees and a further $300 000 in hostel fees. The situation at the School of Mines in Bulawayo is equally tough with students paying a total of $537 500 for both tuition and hostel fees.

University students will pay $100 000 per semester, up from the previous $24 000 while hostel fees jumped from $24 000 to a massive $300 000 per semester.

Higher Education Minister Stan Mudenge could not be reached for comment on the matter.

Zimbabwe's education system once lauded as one of the best in Africa has virtually crumbled because of under-funding and poor management.

Protests by university and college students over deteriorating standards and high fees are common in Zimbabwe.

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