$90 million for student loans

Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter 

GOVERNMENT has availed $90 million for students’ loans as it moves to ensure that higher education is  accessible to all including the poor.

This comes after Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Amon Murwira has directed universities not to charge more than $5 000 in accommodation and tuition fees per semester.

Polytechnics and teachers’ colleges have been directed to charge fees below $1 300 a semester for certificate and diploma programmes.

Minister Murwira confirmed yesterday that Government had availed money for students loans.

“We want all students including the poor to have access to higher education of high quality. We do not want to compromise on quality hence Government is assisting those that cannot afford to pay the fees by advancing loans to them. Education should be affordable to all students that want to enrol with our universities,” said Prof Murwira. 

Most universities are set to open next month and by then Government would have announced the new agreed fees.-@nqotshili.