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New Constitution-making process - Index of articles
ZINASU
takes centre stage on constitution making process
Zimbabwe
National Students Union (ZINASU)
(Chinyere)
January 12, 2010
Students from
various institutions are geared to take centre stage in the drafting
of a new people driven constitution. The energetic intellectuals
have vowed to fully participate in the mobilizing, gathering, collating
of views from the people of Zimbabwe and specifically from students.
It cannot be denied that the students cannot miss this lifetime
opportunity to ensure that education as a fundamental human right
is incorporated in the new constitution.
The Union is
targeting 300 000 students in its 43 member institutions. One hundred
students will be trained in the mobilizing and campaigning process
in a bid to ensure efficiency of the process. The campaign will
be headed by the National Executive Council who will move province
by province mobilizing and enlightening students on the need to
fully participate in the constitution making process.
ZINASU also
commits to mobilize the voice of students on other issues of national
importance for example electoral and Parliamentary systems.
The
Plight of Students at Bindura University of Science Education
The ZINASU National
Executive Council members held a meeting with Student Representative
Council (SRC) members from Bindura University of Science Education
(BUSE) to ascertain the current state of the education sector at
the college as part of the ongoing college tours by the new leadership.
The Bindura SRC delegation was headed by the institution's Secretary
General, Roderick Machaka. The students decried the unaffordable
tuition fees as the biggest challenge with a total of 38% of the
students failing to clear arrears from last semester. In 2008, 12%
of students dropped out of college due to issues of fees.
Students are
due to start examinations on 14 January 2010 and the fees are ranging
from a steep USD460- USD600 per semester. The college authorities
have set up stringent conditions that every student should register
by paying their tuition fees failure which will result in students
being denied access to the examination rooms. About 50% of the students
have failed to register to date. If the college authorities are
not forced to change their barmy position, half of the total number
of students at the college will be affected.
The ineffective
cadetship programme saw 450 students from the college applying for
the scheme but none of them have confirmed to have received the
funds. There is also an accommodation crisis at the college as 65%
of the students are staying off campus in the Chipadze location.
The non resident students are paying USD5 as transport fee but the
college buses are not ferrying the students to and from college
forcing them to flock out more money on transport.
A serious shortage
of water is also emanating in the college halls of residence with
students queuing with buckets for water at a borehole thus delaying
students to attend lectures. ZINASU will be meeting the Ministry
of Higher and Tertiary Education to immediately address the issues
affecting students. These and other challenges will be compiled
and presented to the Ministry of Higher Education next month who
will be given an ultimatum to resolve these misdemeanors.
Visit the ZINASU
fact
sheet
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