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Statement on the opening of Polytechnic and Teachers' colleges
Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU)
January 10, 2011

Today the 10th of January, Zimbabwe's teachers and polytechnic colleges embark on their 2011 academic year. Thousands of national certificate students who secured places in the country's polytechnic and teacher's colleges have stormed their respective institutions and more are expected to turn up in the next few days.

ZINASU is pleased to highlight that the 2010 HEXCO results which were released last week will also see thousands on national diploma classes resuming concurrently with the national certificate classes. This is a positive development which the examination organ failed to do in the last five to six years, a feature which negatively shortened the national diploma academic year.

The Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) however is deeply concerned with a report obtained from the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education indicating that the grant and loan system pronounced in Minister Biti's 2011 Budget was just but symbolic. A high level member of the Ministry's of Higher and Tertiary Education indicated that the Ministry of Finance owed them around 14million dollars from the cadetship scheme, a scenario which they have resolved by devouring Minister Biti's US$15 million which was meant for the
2011 loans and grant system.

Contrary to that ZINASU have learnt by reports that a number of students have been barred from accessing their 2010 HEXCO results because the Cadetship scheme did not pay their 2010 tuition fee. Ironically this is the same facilities which Mudenge's office claims are owed by the Finance ministry.ZINASU have since sought a meeting with Minister Mudenge's office and are still to respond to this diplomatic effort.

ZINASU demands Minister Biti to channel the grants directly to the students and not through the office of Mudenge which intends to conceal its failure and misplaced belief in a moribund scheme. For some time the students of Zimbabwe have been loudly rejecting the cadetship scheme for its evils and for all that period Mudenge has not been listening. ZINASU also warns Minister Biti not to use the scheme for election symbolic statements.

No son or daughter of Zimbabwe shall be barred from accessing and enjoying the right to education. We shall defend our loans by ANY means necessary.

Visit the ZINASU fact sheet

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