University of Zimbabwe (UZ) Students Representative Council(SRC) president Alan Chipoyi at a press conference on Tuesday in Harare warned the college administration that if the astronomic fees hike is not revised, the students have no option but to continue demonstrating.
UZ recently exorbitantly hiked their fees by more than 600% compared to the last semester and this is to the chagrin of the University students who find the fees unaffordable.
Students from the Faculty of Science who had been paying $6 000 ZWL now have to pay $487 000 ZWL. Students from the Faculty of Veterinary were paying $67 000 ZWL in the last semester and now they are required to fork out $602 000 ZWL for their students. All faculties had fees hiked and students are suffering because of this according to the SRC.
“This increase in University fees is absurd given that the majority of our parents barely have the means to pay for our university fees”, said Alan Chipoyi.
The students president lamented the fees hike arguing that their parents can not afford. Most of the civil servants are earning peanuts whilst some in the informal sector are earning lesser given the the harsh economic conditions prevailing in the country, he argued.
He also said that the constitution of Zimbabwe under section 75 obliges the stage to provide for a basic state funded education including adult education.
“What we are simply asking for us this right to be provided for. These astronomic fees do nothing but to prohibit and infringe us from getting this basic human right”, said Chipoyi.
The students are demanding that the UZ administration denounce the new fees structure with immediate effect. They also want the administration to open up a platform for dialogue with the SRC representing the biggest stakeholder at the University; the students, so that fees and it’s structure be revised to come up with affordable tutition fees for the students. In this regard, they are proposing an amount below $200 00ZWL.
The students are demanding to see central government coming in and subsidize their education so that it can be cheap to get a degree in Zimbabwe. ” We do understand current economic disaster but section 75 of the constitution of Zimbabwe clearly guarantees a basic state funded education”, said Chipoyi.
They are going to submit a petition o Parliament today compelling this other branch of government to intervene and stop this disaster which they say is not in the interest of the nation.
“We managed to collect more than four thousand signatures fron students over this weekend so to that our petition can be accepted by parliament”, he revealed.
They vowed to continue demonstrating if their demands are not met. Meanwhile 14 students have been arrested and detained at Avondale Police Station.
SRC president Alan Chipoyi was flanked by main secretary General Munashe Masiyiwa, secretary of transport Tinovimba Msengi, secretary of sports and entertainment Clayton Hove, Students Representative Association chairperson Thabani Shongai and secretary for transport, information and publicity Ignatius Chinoda.
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