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Strikes and Protests 2007/8 - Students
Students
threaten to boycott classes
ZimOnline
February 05, 2007
http://www.zimonline.co.za/Article.aspx?ArticleId=832
HARARE – The
Zimbabwe National
Students Union (ZINASU) says it will soon boycott classes starting
14 February to force the government to reverse a hike in tuition
fees imposed late last year.
ZINASU president
Promise Mkwananzi told a press conference in Harare yesterday that
the students were demanding loans of Z$1.2 million per semester
per student.
ZINASU gave
the government until 13 February to respond to their demand.
Students at
state universities and colleges are required to pay tuition fees
of about Z$566 000 per semester, an amount the students say is above
their reach.
President Robert
Mugabe’s government stopped giving loans to students in February
last year citing lack of funds.
"We demand
an immediate reversal of the fees hike, and we are giving the government
up to 13 of February 2007 to respond in a positive manner,"
said Mkhwananzi.
"Rallying
around the clarion call of save our education, ZINASU shall embark
on an indefinite class boycott from 14th of February 2007 if the
government fails to address our plight," he said.
ZINASU says
a total of 77 500 out of 250 000 university and college students
in Zimbabwe had dropped out of their studies over the past year
because of lack of funds.
Washington Mbizvo,
the permanent secretary in the ministry of higher education, said
the government was not in a position to fund every student, hence
the new policy.
"What the
government is doing is to find sponsors who can pay for deserving
cases. The government has no money, period," said Mbizvo.
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. - ZimOnline
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