Cadetship for science students

Susan Nyabunze Herald Correspondent
Government’s cadetship programme will only support less-privileged tertiary students who study Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

Speaking during a visit of the Midlands State University last week, Higher and Tertiary Education Science and Technology Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo, said the move had been necessitated by financial challenges.

“We need to appreciate that the disposition of fiscal authority at this point is against cadetship in general,” he said.

“Theoretically, there is cadetship, but in reality there isn’t because of the economic situation to the extent that technically the approach is to say it will be available for those students who do STEM.”

The cadetship programme was initially established to assist the less-privileged students with tuition for their tertiary education.

“It won’t be available on the basis of need. If that need is in commerce, arts or humanities it will not be supported. But if it is within STEM, there will be programmes that will be given priority,” Prof Moyo said.

He added that the initiative was in line with the Zim-Asset mandate to create innovation through science and technology.

Prof Moyo was accompanied through the tour around MSU by the university’s vice chancellor Professor Ngwabi Bhebe and senior Government officials.

Prof Bhebhe commended the minister for the commitment he had shown to his duties barely three months after assuming office. He added that MSU would continue to create ways to improve service delivery to augment Government efforts in the face of economic hardships.

“Through our innovative strategies, we manage to get income for lecturers incentives, university construction among others,” he said.

Professor Moyo said that the ministry was working hard to ensure that university staff received their salaries that had been reduced in June this year.

“We are aware that Treasury has delayed in releasing the 50 percent that had been reduced. They had programmed for that reduction so they are now reprogramming and it’s taking time to go back on track,” he said.