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SST's
position on the 2013 National Budget
Students
Solidarity Trust
November 02, 2012
The Finance Ministry
which is rounding up its public consultations on the national budget
is hereby urged to uphold the Student Solidarity Trust's five
year plan towards revival of a viable and sustainable students funding
scheme. The five year plan is contained in the SST's 2010
State
of the education sector report: Inside the Pandora's Box
which has been widely circulated. The plan addresses the shortfalls
of the cadetship programme while at the same time being alive to
the fiscal constraints related to revenue collection. In 2010, 41
000 students failed to pay tuition fees and applied for cadetship
funding. In 2012 the number increased and universities turned away
students on cadetship sighting that treasury was in arrears on the
programme.
The government
move at the end of 2011 must be commended for re-introducing loans
and grants. The late Minister Mudenge is on record for stating that
the government requires close to 100 million dollars a year in order
to fund tuition whereas it has set side 15 million dollars for the
financial year 2011. As the revenue of government increase in the
next year it is of use for it to increase the amount set aside for
grants and loan scheme. The precise recommendation is that the government
must increase the budget by 100% in the next five years which means
the grant will be able to cater for almost all tertiary students
by the year 2016.
Grants
scheme
| Year |
Grants
accumulation |
| 2011 |
$15,000,000 |
| 2012 |
$30,000,000 |
| 2013 |
$45,000,000 |
| 2014 |
$60,000,000 |
| 2015 |
$75,000,000 |
| 2016 |
$90,000,000 |
Grants
scheme
A second plan
is to continue with the partnership between ZABG and government
whereby ZABG also contribute to the grant and loan scheme. This
can speed up the state's goal to provide funded tertiary education
for all. The recommendation will be for both ZABG and the state
to double their increment by 100% each year. This should be easier
for ZABG as after the initial year some students would be able to
repay the loans hence there will be a revolving fund. Such a plan
would ensure students get state funded tuition by the year 2013.
Grants
and loan scheme
| Year |
Grants
and loan accumulation |
| 2011 |
$30,000,000 |
| 2012 |
$60,000,000 |
| 2013 |
$90,000,000 |
Grants
and loan scheme
We recommend the government to adopt either plan A or plan B in
rebuilding Zimbabwe's education sector.
Visit the Students
Solidarity Trust fact
sheet
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