admin
through the cadetship scheme with the money dating back to 2010.
Higher and Tertiary Education Minister Stan Mudenge, yesterday said 100 000 students were seeking Government support while Treasury could only cater for 39 000.
The minister said this when he appeared before the Portfolio Committee on Higher and Tertiary Education yesterday.
“Sixty-four percent of students at universities, technical and teachers colleges are under the cadetship scheme.
“In 2010 members voted for US$10 million in the blue book (budget allocation) for cadetship, but that was not enough to pay for all students without capacity to pay – the reality on the ground was that Treasury only released US$5 million,” Dr Mudenge said.
He said the amount owed has been rising over the years.
“In 2010 we owed US$30 million and was it US$36 million in 2011 and now US$41 563 680 is the amount needed immediately to amortise the loan and pay for new students,” he added.
The minister said a shortage of resources had forced Government to adopt the cadetship scheme from the previous loan and grant scheme that existed at independence.
He said a total of US$25 million had been allocated to his ministry for the cadetship scheme this year, while loan schemes with Barclays Bank and ZB Bank valued at US$20 million and US$10 million had been arranged.
He said the money received under this year’s budget could only cater for 39 044 students in universities, technical and teachers’ colleges, leaving a balance of 47 011.
The figure, he said, excluded those in agricultural colleges who were entitled for support under the cadetship scheme.
On the salary disparities between university lecturers and those in tertiary and teachers’ colleges, Minister Mudenge said he was engaging the Public Service Commission on the matter.
“The policy used to be that lecturers at technical and teachers colleges would get 70 percent of what their counterparts at universities would get.
“The disparities came when universities were removed from the PSC and began to negotiate on their own while the others remained under the PSC and negotiated through civil service channels.
“We have been engaging the PSC on the matter but I am going to meet them personally to discuss the matter that I believe is unjust and outrageous,” he said.
Minister Mudenge said his ministry was striving to achieve gender equity in all tertiary institutions with State universities currently enrolling 20 088 females compared to 28 019 males, private universities with 2 570 men compared to 2 923 females.
Polytechnic colleges have 11 523 men and 7 189 women while teachers’ colleges have 4 549 males and 9 247 females respectively.
Online Reporter