adminPatrick Chitumba Senior Reporter
CHILDREN of war veterans who are aged 23 years and above and studying at institutions of higher learning face a bleak future following government’s decision to stop providing them with educational funds.Last week, Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander, General Constantine Chiwenga, announced that government had allocated an undisclosed amount of money to pay outstanding fees for former freedom fighters’ children. He added that those at tertiary institutions were also catered for under the War Veterans Children School Beneficiaries Fund.
However, in an interview yesterday, the chairman of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans’ Association, Cde Jabulani Sibanda, said he had learnt that children above the age of 23 years were no longer being catered for.
“We have a problem of some people who just change policies in the country and that causes unnecessary conflict,” said Cde Sibanda.
“The education fund for children of war veterans was designed and promulgated so that children of freedom fighters are helped financially until they complete their education and education does not end at Advanced Level. Some proceed to tertiary education and they are supposed to be funded until they complete.”
Cde Sibanda said as far as they were concerned, the government was supposed to take care of children of ex-combatants so that they also get better chances in society.
“We should have been consulted in the first place. Government failed to honour a lot of promises but as war veterans, we have understood the fact that the sanctions had derailed the country’s economic growth,” he said.
“But that same government has failed to understand us.”
Cde Sibanda said they were going to seek audience with the government regarding the matter.
“We will engage the government and in the meantime the affected children should not resort to strike or demonstrations,” he said.
Some of the war veterans’ children at tertiary institutions who have been benefiting from the War Veterans Children School Beneficiaries Fund, but were affected by the latest development visited the Chronicle offices expressing displeasure at the sudden withdrawal of the education fund on the basis of age.
“From 2010 when I was accepted at Lupane State University, the government has been paying my fees and now I am in my last year and am 24 years old, they say I am very old to access the fund. This is not fair. How am I going to finish my degree?” said a student at Lupane State University who has been affected.
Another student said her fees were last paid in 2013.
“I am in arrears at Lupane State University. The government last paid my school and tuition fees for last year’s second semester and now I am being told that there is no more support because I am 23 years old,” she said.
Last year, war veterans appeared before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Defence and Home Affairs and demanded the establishment of a separate ministry to cater solely for their welfare. They are receiving $130 monthly gratuities each.
derick.khumalo