Published by the government of Zimbabwe
6 June 2008
Harare — GOVERNMENT has reversed tertiary education fee increases effected by state universities and colleges at the beginning of this academic year to cushion parents from the current economic hardships.
Addressing journalists in Harare yesterday, the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education Cde Stan Mudenge said tertiary institutions had increased fees without Government approval.
"The colleges and universities had charged students certain figures at the beginning of the academic year.
"We sat down with them and said given the challenges facing parents we should try and bring the figures down.
"Universities had wanted $15 billion and we reduced it to $3 billion. Colleges had charged $10 billion and it was reduced to $2 billion so that parents can afford to send their children to school," he said.
Cde Mudenge warned that it was unlawful for any college or university to bar students from attending lectures for failure to pay fees.
"No principal can turn away a student because he or she has no capacity to pay fees. There need not be any anxiety in students that they may be sent away because they have no fees."
He advised student whose parents could not afford to pay fees to approach his ministry for assistance.
"The policy of Government remains firm and it is going to assist all those who do not have the capacity to pay," he said.
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