Govt has plan for poor university students, says m...

Govt has plan for poor university students, says minister

Nyashadzashe Ndoro

Zimbabwe’s Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, Amon Murwira, assured Parliament that the government has programmes in place to allow poor students to attend university.

Opposition Citizens Coalition for Change MP, Zivai Mhetu had raised concerns about students being barred from exams due to unpaid fees during Wednesday's parliamentary season.

Murwira explained that the government offers a work-for-fees programme and a student loan scheme. However, he acknowledged that some students are shy to declare their poverty and don’t apply for the programmes. He emphasised that there’s “no shame” in being poor and encouraged students to seek help.

“Our programmes at higher education are that all those students that are indigent, are given – we have a programme which we call work for fees programme. This work for fees programme is where students who are unable to gather enough money to pay fees, are enrolled by the university into work for the university and then the university helps them to pay for the fees or wavering for the fees,” the Minister said.

“We started experimenting with this programme in 2019. Now, this programme is very mature. If you go for example to Midlands State University, we have more than 300 students who are on this programme. However, one word of caution is that first of all, we have to own up. It is not a crime to be poor such that sometimes people are not coming out to say, I cannot afford then we will be able to help them. People shy away from asking for help.

“I do not know what happens when people think that may be if I say I am poor somebody – no, in actual fact being afraid of saying you are poor is the biggest enemy that you can have. Honestly, to say I have a problem, then you can be helped. As I said, our policy is to make sure that every brain is used because if no brain is used - a country is like paddling a boat (igwa), everybody paddles, there is no passenger. Everybody has to paddle, so we expect everybody to acquire enough tools to paddle this country forward.”

The Minister also pointed out that the university’s IT system automatically bars students who haven’t registered online, and registration fees are required. He urged for better communication between students and the universities.