MSU bars cadet sCtudents from graduating

The institution has said students should come up with cash to pay the outstanding fees by tomorrow if they want to be part of the graduation ceremony.

Alternatively, students have been told they can forgo graduating until Government pays the fees.

Scores of affected students yesterday said the university had refused to let them see their results which were out on Friday.

They protested against the university’s decision saying it was a departure from normal procedure.

“In past years, cadetship students in arrears were allowed to graduate. They were given photocopies of their certificates and only got the originals after full payment. Actually, all other universities give photocopies for those who have outstanding fees. We wonder why MSU has suddenly decided to change,” said one of the affected students.

The students said they were also not happy that the university “ambushed” when it announced the new system.

“They told us yesterday that we are not graduating and that they will not release our results before the fees are paid in full. We pay about $300 per semester and some of us owe fees for three semesters. Students under cadetship are generally needy. Where on earth do they think we can come up with $900 in three days? It is as if they are fixing us,” said another student.

The students said they had tried on Monday to reason with the university authorities over the issue in vain.

“We tried to ask them to let us graduate and hold onto our certificates but they would not budge. About one third of nearly 2 000 students who are supposed to graduate are on cadetship. We appeal to the authorities to reconsider because our future depends on us graduating in time. Some of us have additional programmes that we wish to pursue after graduating,” said one of the affected students.

Many of the students said they needed to see their results so in the event they failed they could start preparing to re-sit.

Contacted for comment, the MSU public relations officer, Ms Sinikiwe Tirivanhu, told this reporter to phone after 30 minutes.

She was unreachable on her mobile phone for the rest of the day.

She also did not respond to an e-mail that was sent to her with questions over the issue.

The acting Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Dr Ignatius Chombo could also not be reached for comment as his mobile phone continuously rang without being answered.