Harare — GOVERNMENT has paid US$4 million to universities throughout the country as fees for students who applied for assistance under its cadetship programme.

In an interview recently, Higher and Tertiary Education Minister Stan Mudenge said more would be in paid in batches.

He said the Government last week released US$1 million to universities for the cadetship programme in addition to the US$3 million it paid late last year.

Minister Mudenge dismissed as false reports that Government was not paying the universities fees for students the State supports under the cadetship programme.

He said Government remained committed to cushioning students in tertiary institutions by assisting them pay fees under the cadetship programme.

"The universities received a batch of US$1 million recently after receiving another batch of US$3 million towards the end of last year and more funds will be made available in batches because the Government is really committed to this programme.

"Those who say the universities are not getting the money are just misinformed because we are indeed giving the money to these universities for students who applied for cadetship and we willcontinue to do so," said Minister Mudenge.

There have been reports that Government was not paying universities fees for students who would have applied for assistance under the cadetship programme, thereby causing a serious cash squeeze at the institutions of higher learning.

Great Zimbabwe University in Masvingo last year was among the institutions with the highest number of students under the cadetship programme with over 1 500 students.

GZU Vice Chancellor Professor Obert Maravanyika attributed the high number of beneficiaries to the fact that the catchment area for the institution's students are rural areas where most of the parents are poor.