Chronicle Editor
Boitumelo Makhurane, Chronicle Reporter
GOVERNMENT has urged tertiary education students to apply for loans following a recent 250 percent fees hike.
Higher and Tertiary Education permanent secretary Professor Fanuel Tagwira said the ministry understands the struggles that parents go through to pay fees therefore, it has put in place a facility to provide students with loans.
‘‘We understand the struggles parents go through to pay fees. The solution is not asking universities to charge suboptimal fees. The solution is helping students with student loans to pay their fees,’’ he said.
Prof Tagwira said the loans were meant to cushion students and at the same time provide quality education.
The university fees are meant to keep universities running and providing students with adequate resources said Prof Tagwira.
‘‘All university running expenses come from fees. If universities charge small amounts of money it means they will not be able to cover their running expenses. Many costs covered by universities have gone up significantly for example practical consumables,’’ said Prof Tagwira.
Students have decried the new fees structure, saying it was pushing tertiary education out of the reach of many.
They said the new fees were higher than their parents’ salaries, especially civil servants, becoming a challenge for them to pay.
Students said salaries for most Government workers had not been increased, so most parents and guardians who are civil servants will struggle to send their children and or charges to university.
National University of Science and Technology (Nust) student representative council (SRC) president Takudzwa Jonga said the increase in fees was justified as there is need to capacitate universities given the prevailing economic situation and pleaded with the Government to give students more information on student loans as they do not have knowledge about them.
“The universities could not avoid increasing fees because they need adequate resources to run the institutions. We appeal to the Government to give us more information about student loans and how we can access the loans,’’ he said.
Midlands State University (MSU) acting SRC president Saddam Saungweme, said they welcome the student loan facility, although it excludes the poor who have no collateral demanded by banks.
‘‘While the re-introduction of the student loan facility was welcome, it disadvantages the poor who have no collateral demanded by banks.
The loan facility should be enough to cover all the necessities,” said Saungweme.
Students appealed to the Government to introduce grants that are flexible and can be accessed by all as opposed to bank loans.
Last year, Government availed $90 million for students’ loans to ensure that higher education is accessible to all including the poor. — @Boity104
Online Reporter