MPs take minister to task over vasity fees hikes

Parliamentarians have requested Higher and Tertiary Education minister Amon Murwira to issue a ministerial statement in the House on the escalating fees charged to tertiary students.

This comes days after University of Zimbabwe students protested, saying the fees were too high after they were raised from $19 000 to $51 088 per semester.

Newly sworn-in Mbizo MP Settlement Chikwinya (Citizens Coalition for Change) on Tuesday raised a point of interest in the National Assembly and called on Murwira to issue a statement on the university fees hike.

My matter of national importance emanates from that various university students have been given notice to register for their examinations, but the notice is short and the fees are exorbitant for them to be able to raise the required amounts of registration fees in the given time,” Chikwinya said.

“My concern is borne out of consultation, being that if one fails to register, they defer examinations which are a departure from the norm where previously students were allowed to make a payment plan or at least sit for examinations and then fail to obtain results until they have paid for those examinations.

“So I move that if the Higher and Tertiary Education minister can come to Parliament at least with a ministerial statement as to why the rules have changed, and as Parliament, we can have a national discourse around finding a solution which allows the students to pursue their educational careers without disturbance.”

Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda responded: “We will try to inform the honourable minister as the matter is hot and we hope that the minister will be able to explain.”

The recent demonstration by the students follows a similar protest two weeks ago after another fees hike.

Zwnews