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institutions of higher learning to stop turning away students who do not have Mathematics at Ordinary level and instead initiate internal remedial bridging programmes for them.
This follows an outcry by aspiring student teachers in Bulawayo that they were being turned away by local teachers’ colleges for not having Mathematics.
In an interview with our Bulawayo Bureau on the sidelines of the commissioning of the St Patrick’s Hotel in Bulawayo, Dr Mudenge said he was aware that most aspiring students did not pass the subject at O-Level and emphasised the need for colleges to provide bridging programmes for the students while they carry on with their studies.
“Mathematics is a requirement for aspiring students at all the tertiary institutions but this does not mean that applicants should be turned away from the colleges because a majority of them did not pass the subject,” said Dr Mudenge.
“I am very much aware that most aspiring students did not pass Mathematics, and I will not allow colleges to turn them away.
“They must initiate special intensive remedial bridging programmes for the students and make sure that they pass the subject while they proceed with their degree or diploma programmes at the institutions.
“A number of universities, including the Lupane State University in Matabeleland North have successfully conducted the remedial bridging programmes and 1 600 students, most of them girl children had second chances to pursue their dreams.
“Colleges must therefore accept the responsibility of nurturing more academics in the country by considering them into their system and helping them reach their required standards.”
Speaking on the Government’s cadetship programme, Dr Mudenge acknowledged that the Government owed the institutions millions of dollars, but said reports that students were being turned away were street talk.
“It is Government’s clear firm policy that no one would be turned away from college for not paying fees. What people are saying is street talk.
“I want people to bring me specific evidence that students on cadetship are being turned away from their respective institutions. If you bring me a concrete clear case, then the ministry will deal with the matter accordingly,” he said.
The Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Washington Mbizvo, said the Ministry would next week conduct meetings with tertiary institutions in Bulawayo, to put more emphasis on the issue of turning away students over fees.
He said the money that would be released by Treasury for the cadetship programme would be directed to final year students.
Treasury only released $2 million out of the $54 million that Cabinet approved for the scheme.
Last year 33 568 students were on cadetship out of a student population of 75 000, a development that continues to financially strain the institutions, as the Government is struggling to meet its obligation.
Online Reporter
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