Information, Broadcasting and Publicity Services Secretary, Nick Mangwana has listed options for students struggling to pay fees.
This comes amid outrage over a fee increase by the University of Zimbabwe (UZ). He said this Monday:
There are students whose domestic situations are such that they may struggle to pay fees. Universities run different support schemes to assist these students meet their fees. Some unis like the UZ have these schemes;
1- Work Study Programs
2- Fees Payment Plans
3- Student Loans
Following a review of UZ fees, some have been calling for the reintroduction of students’ grants to assist struggling students.
Student Loans:
The government reintroduced loan schemes for students in State institutions in 2019. The facility had been discontinued in the 1990s due to non-payment.
The Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development, Professor Amon Murwira, announced in 2019 that the student loan scheme would be administered by the Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe.
He said the loan must be paid back to enable the sustainability of the critical intervention. He added back then:
We are now very strict. This is a commercial arrangement and students will have to pay (back). The government used to have this facility, but it collapsed during the 90s due to non-payment.
We cannot continue to be careless and we will follow up on beneficiaries. We want to support and empower the next generation
If assessed and approved, the beneficiaries will pay as they go. The payments will differ according to the beneficiaries’ capacity.
He also said the system would be tailor-made to the capability of the individual.
Work Study Programs:
In other countries, Work-Study provides part-time jobs for undergraduate and graduate students with financial need, allowing them to earn money to help pay education expenses. The program encourages community service work and work related to the student’s course of study.