The University of Zimbabwe (UZ) has instructed its staff to disregard the collective job action called for by the Association of University Teachers (AUT).
In a memo dated March 22, 2025, signed by UZ registrar Munyaradzi Madambi, it was stated that any collective job action in response to AUT’s call would be considered unlawful, as the Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister, Edgar Moyo, had issued a Show Cause Order for the university. Said Madambi:
<blockquote>
The University of Zimbabwe remains committed to engaging all its staff for improved welfare and conditions of service in line with government policy and its new transformational thrust as inspired by our Heritage-based Education 5.0 philosophy.
</blockquote>
A “Show Cause Order” is a legal document that requires a party to explain or justify why a particular action should not be taken or why a specific order should not be enforced.
On Friday, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Edgar Moyo issued a Show Cause Order after University of Zimbabwe (UZ) authorities failed to meet lecturers’ salary demands.
AUT Secretary-General Borncase Mwakorera described the move as a “temporary setback” and said the association’s members would meet soon to discuss the next steps.
Lecturers at the University of Zimbabwe, represented by AUT, are calling for their salaries to be reinstated to pre-October 2018 levels.
They argue that in October 2018, their salaries were significantly reduced from US$2,250 per month for a junior lecturer to under US$300, plus a small local currency component worth less than US$200 when converted.
This reduction, an 87% cut, has left many lecturers struggling to meet basic needs such as housing, food, transportation, and even their children’s education.
AUT claims to have sent over 27 letters to the university since 2018 requesting salary adjustments but has received only one response.
The lecturers also allege that the university has not fulfilled certain contractual obligations, including paying for funeral policies and health insurance.
More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200039936/ignore-strike-uz-tells-disgruntled-staff">NewsDay</a>

Pindula News

The University of Zimbabwe is telling its lecturers to not go on strike even though their union, the Association of University Teachers, called for one. The government has warned the university that a strike would be illegal. The lecturers want their salaries restored to pre-2018 levels because they have been cut by 87%. The union has been trying to negotiate with the university for a while now, but they have not received a proper response. The lecturers are struggling to meet their basic needs and want the university to fulfill their contractual obligations.

University Of Zimbabwe Instructs Lecturers To Ignore AUT's Call For A Strike

Lecturers at the <a href="https://pindula.co.zw/University_of_Zimbabwe">University of Zimbabwe</a> (UZ) have declared incapacitation and are demanding United States dollar salaries.
The Association of University Teachers (AUT), which represents the interests of academic staff at universities, has since written a letter addressed to the Ministry of Public Service, Labour, and Social Welfare.
AUT said UZ lecturers no longer afford to come to work, feed their families and meet other normal expenses such as school fees, medical bills and rent. Part of the letter reads:
<blockquote>
To illustrate the situation, as of October 2018, a junior lecturer’s monthly salary was US$2 258, (“pre-October 2018 salary scales”)…
By September 2022, the situation had reached unconscionable levels of a salary worth less than US$200 for a junior lecturer.
Such a salary was lower than the lowest-paid general worker in the private sector.
By the commencement of 2023, the situation had sharply deteriorated. The deductions for normal services like medical aid, pension, funeral policies and motor vehicle insurance were now more than the salary.
In fact, staff was now earning what the university termed ‘negative salaries’. Deductions deducted were more than the salary.
</blockquote>
AUT also revealed that efforts to engage Higher and Tertiary Education Minister <a href="https://pindula.co.zw/Amon_Murwira">Amon Murwira</a> over their plight have been unsuccessful. Reads the letter:
<blockquote>
The minister was not sympathetic and disclaimed responsibility for the welfare of employees of State universities.
He categorically stated that the responsible authorities and employers were the university councils and not the government.
He stated that the government only provided a grant to assist the universities, which were expected to come up with their own other independent means of self-funding.
</blockquote>
The majority of workers in the private and public sectors are pushing for their salaries to be paid in foreign currency amid a sharp depreciation in the value of the Zimbabwe dollar.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

University Of Zimbabwe Lecturers Declare Incapacitation

The High Court of Zimbabwe has set aside last year’s fees increase by the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) for undergraduate and postgraduate studies.
UZ students filed an urgent chamber application in September 2022 seeking an order reversing the 700 percent fee hike.
Undergraduate students were required to pay ZWL$500 000 while Masters students were required to pay a million for each semester.
In their application, the students, who were represented by the UZ Students Representative Council (SRC), said the raising of fees by the institution was unreasonable and irrational since the government had allocated $3.3 billion in the National Budget approved by the Parliament.
They submitted to the court that they could not afford the fees since most of them come from poor backgrounds.
In his ruling, High Court Judge, Justice Tawanda Chitapi, ordered that the fees increase, effected by UZ, be set aside.
Justice Chitapi further ordered UZ to pay the costs of the application incurred during the process. <a href="https://www.hmetro.co.zw/uz-fees-structure-resembles-a-tuckshop/">He ruled</a>:
<blockquote>
The first respondent (UZ Vice Chancellor Paul Mapfumo) was quite expected to be guided by the University Act which is clear on what powers he has as well as the powers of the Council and Senate.
It was quite astonishing that even the issue of payment of the increased fees was reduced to a tuckshop operation where discounts were given to students depending on the percentage of the total fees due if paid by a given date.
</blockquote>
In a notice dated 01 September 2022, UZ stated that those who were to pay 100 percent of their fees by the 31st of October 2022 were to enjoy a 12.5 percent discount.
It said those who pay 75 percent of their fees by 31 of October will enjoy a 10 percent discount while those that pay 50 percent will enjoy a 5 percent discount.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

High Court Rules UZ Fees Structure Resembles A Tuckshop

A specialist hospital currently under development in Mazowe is set to start operating in August this year, according to University of Zimbabwe (UZ) Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Mapfumo.
The project is led by the UZ, with funding coming from the government.
In an interview with <a href="https://www.sundaymail.co.zw/specialist-hospital-to-open-in-august">The Sunday Mail</a>, Prof Mapfumo said the facility will have an Oral Health Unit, Eye Centre, Invitro Fertilisation Unit (IVF) Unit, and Diagnostic Laboratory. He said:
<blockquote>
We have been putting mechanisms in place to accelerate construction works. We are building capacity to do the construction through our newly established Department of Engineering, Infrastructure and Estate.
The groundbreaking of the main site was done by the President but we do have the Oral Health Unit, Eye Centre, IVF Unit and Diagnostic Laboratory, which are now at equipmentation phase.
So, we are hoping that those units should be functioning before August this year if we get a good lead of time of part of the critical equipment.
We were importing some of the equipment but now, we are trying to look at what we can source in the country and that’s the phase we are in now.
The second module is the pharmacy building, the third module is oncology and the fourth is cardiology.
We also have the outer site where we are doing the public and environmental health building.
</blockquote>
Mapfumo said the completion of the Quinary hospital will result in a reduction of the estimated US$400 million that Zimbabweans spend on importing medical services.

Specialist Hospital In Mazowe To Open In August - UZ Vice-Chancellor

The High Court has ordered the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) not to withhold students’ results on account of non-payment of tuition fees.
The UZ Students Representative Council (SRC) approached the courts challenging UZ’s decision to increase tuition fees in 2022.
UZ also restricted students’ access to the examination results via its online platform if they had not settled the arrears of tuition fees it had gazetted.
On Friday, 20 January, High Court judge, Justice Tawanda Chitapi, ordered UZ to release examination results to the concerned students and arrange a payment plan with them for outstanding fees.
Justice Chipato also froze the hike of fees by UZ pending the court case in which the students are arguing, through their lawyer Tendai Biti, that the increase was unconstitutional and unjustified. Said the judge:
<blockquote>
Pending the delivery of judgment in Case No. HC 6194/22 reserved by Hon. Chitapi Jon 30 November 2022, the 1st respondent shall not enforce tuition fees set out in ordinance No. 63 dated 6 September 2022.
The 1st respondent is interdicted from withholding the release of results of the two applicants and other students represented by the 1st applicant on account of non-payment of the tuition fees set out in the ordinance.
The first applicant’s members and the second applicant shall however be required upon collection of their results to enter into payment arrangements with the first respondent in terms of which they undertake to pay the difference of the tuition fees set out in ordinance 63 and the previous semester fees levied before the ordinance. Each party bears its own cost.
</blockquote>
UZ was cited as the first respondent with the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary education as the second respondent. | <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/high-court-orders-uz-to-release-of-examination-results-orders-institution-not-to-enforce-fee-hike/">NewZimbabwe.com</a>

High Court Orders UZ To Release Exam Results And Bars Fees Hike

Pindula encountered a message circulating on WhatsApp that we think might be helpful for some students who have just finished A Level and would like to do medicine at the University of Zimbabwe.
It might also be useful for parents who are helping their children make important career choices.
<blockquote>
UZ does not discriminate against schools, especially the faculty of medicine which I have been part of since 2008. It’s unfortunate that many students who do more than 3 subjects at A level end up including irrelevant subjects to our entry requirements.
Our requirements are A level passes in Chemistry and any 2 subjects between Maths, Physics, Biology/Zoology. So besides chemistry, we count the other best 2 subjects, thus we only consider 3 subjects.
So if one does 5 subjects and gets all A’s and a D (2 points) in chemistry, we don’t see it as 22 points but as 12 points because we consider chemistry first and any other best 2 from the above list.
So the message is don’t force your bright students/ children to take up many subjects if they intend to do medicine. This does not increase their chances. Let them concentrate and maximise their efforts on 3 relevant subjects only.
In addition, we don’t count mathematics together with Further Maths or Applied Maths/ Pure Maths…. etc, we just consider Maths as 1 one subject. So it’s of no benefit sitting for exams of all variants of maths.
Our intake is about 300/ yr for medicine. If we have a high number of potential students (which has been the case since 2014) we conduct interviews.
The interview instrument is to weed out potential delinquencies and those who would have been pushed to do medicine by their parents/guardians when they don’t really intend to by themselves.
We also look at communication skills. This is where some students fall off. Some schools concentrate on bookwork but they don’t groom their students
</blockquote>

Potential Advice On Pursuing Medicine at UZ After A Level

Hundreds of University of Zimbabwe (UZ) graduates have expressed frustration over the institution’s failure to give them their academic certificates over a year after graduating.
Students who spoke to <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200005977/uz-students-agonise-over-certificates">NewsDay</a> about the issue said failure to obtain their certificates has been hindering their chances of securing jobs.
Universities usually avail certificates to graduates on the day of graduation or a few days after the ceremony but some students who completed their degrees at UZ in December 2021 and June 2022 have not yet obtained their certificates.
UZ Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Mapfumo conceded that the university has a backlog but was working on addressing the issue. He said:
<blockquote>
We changed the form of the certificate at the institution. The process of phasing out the old certificate took longer which resulted in a backlog of certificate issuance.
However, we are working to address the issue. Over the last semester break, we have been printing out the certificates which would be ready for collection soon.
The students know that and ought to bear with us. Students who have other particular issues with the issuance of academic documents know where their complaints [can] be addressed.
The university is always ready to address any challenges faced by the students.
</blockquote>
Affected UZ graduates appealed for government intervention and criticised the university for “taking them for granted”.

University Of Zimbabwe Has A Backlog Of Academic Certificates

A University of Zimbabwe (UZ) undergraduate student, Munashe Gahadza, scored a record-breaking 40 distinctions out of a possible 44 courses to obtain a first-class BSc Honours degree in Actuarial Science.
Gahadza also won the University of Zimbabwe Book Prize and was named the Faculty’s best graduating student and most consistent student.
He was then awarded the Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Chancellor’s Award for the best male undergraduate student earning a cash prize of US$1 000.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa also gave Gahadza a further US$1 000 for his attainment of 40 distinctions.
He said his next step was to start his actuarial professional exams for him to become a qualified actuary.
<a href="https://www.investopedia.com/articles/professionals/090513/day-life-actuary.asp#:~:text=our%20editorial%20policies-,What%20Is%20an%20Actuary%3F,and%20other%20potentially%20risky%20ventures.">An actuary</a> uses math and statistics to estimate the financial impact of uncertainty and help clients minimize risk. An actuary can assess and manage the risks of financial investments, insurance policies, and other potentially risky ventures.
Meanwhile, Gamuchirai Bhiza became the first female student to attain a first-class honours degree in Electrical &amp; Electronics Engineering.
She was awarded the Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Chancellor’s Award for the best female undergraduate also with a cash prize of US$1 000 as well as the Women in Science &amp; Engineering Award for the best female student.
President Mnangagwa capped 6 084 graduates at the UZ graduation ceremony on Thursday. | <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/uz-genius-aces-40-distinction/">Chronicle</a>

University Of Zimbabwe Student Scores 40 Distinctions

The leaking of a University of Zimbabwe (UZ) examination paper recently suggests that top politicians, security chiefs and other influential people bribe their way through law school, a report claims.
Some well-connected and powerful people, including lecturers and relatives of UZ authorities, allegedly have access to examination papers at the law faculty before any examination.
Last month, Harare police provincial intelligence officer Superintendent Vigai Maunganidze was allegedly caught with a UZ law examination paper before the exam was written.
Prosecutors allege that on 31 October, Maunganidze obtained a UZ faculty of law examination paper for the administrative local government law module for second-year students that was supposed to be written on 3 November.
Maunganidze allegedly shared the paper via WhatsApp with one Madombi, a Defence Ministry official and third-year Bachelor of Substantive Laws (BLS) student at the UZ.
Madombi allegedly shared the examination paper with ZANU PF Director of Information Tafadzwa Mugwadi, who reportedly promised to lodge a complaint with the Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development minister.
A UZ law lecturer told <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/thestandard/news/article/200004199/bigwigs-linked-to-exam-paper-leaks">The Standard</a> that the leaking of the paper only shows a fraction of a deep-seated problem. Said the lecturer:
<blockquote>
Level 1 has a syndicate whose group is led by one Dubai Queen.
The group has been asking for cash for people to join the group as it has privileged access to exam papers prior to the examination date.
A huge number of students are engaged in corrupt activities to pass exams, specifically accessing exams prior to the exam day and alteration of results for those that failed and other means to enable passes.
Level 2 class syndicates have been securing exam papers through the Disability Resource Centre prior to the examination.
</blockquote>
<h2>ZANU PF MP’s complaint</h2>
In April this year, ZANU PF legislator Dexter Nduna (Chegutu West), a BLS student, wrote to the UZ administration complaining about how the programme was being run.
The letter was copied to UZ Law faculty dean Innocent Maja, Vice Chancellor Paul Mapfumo as well as the chairperson of the Council for Legal Education Justice Sylvia Chirau-Chigomba and Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda. Nduna’s letter dated April 1, 2022 reads in part:
<blockquote>
We enrolled for the programme with the understanding that it was a part-time programme that would allow us to have lessons during the weekend and after hours as per the advert flighted by the UZ (not the faculty).
It seems that the faculty leadership is now a law unto themselves and a lot of conflicts of interest seem to be the motivating factor behind decisions (scrapping the BLS programme as part-time) being made.
Whether it is professional/ethical or standard UZ policy to tell students to make private arrangements and engagements with individual lecturers so as to negotiate with them for lectures, and if this does not open them to sexual harassment, extortion, etc as the issue for demanding financial inducements by lecturers seems to be taking root at the UZ and the authorities seem to be condoning it under false pretences that these are merely operational issues under the purviews of faculties.
Is this not another way of facilitating deplorable practices?
It may begin to seem that the removal of weekend BLS lectures may have other motives as it was indicated that the lecturers can make other arrangements outside the auspices of the UZ, this involves the payment of inducements and incentives to the lecturers, particularly those teaching languages under the guise that they don’t teach during the weekends.
Where does this leave those students who are part-time? Is this not a ploy to facilitate the conducting/forcing of these students into these choreographed and well-orchestrated extra lessons?
</blockquote>
UZ law faculty department chairperson Fredrick Hamadziripi and the UZ faculty of law dean Maja both refused to comment on the corruption allegations when contacted by The Standard.
Mapfumo, the UZ vice chancellor, said he was not aware of the subject.
Acting registrar Munyaradzi Madambi said he was in a meeting when contacted for comment on Friday and could not comment on the matter.

UZ Exam Paper Leak Points To A Deep-rooted Problem | Report

The University of Zimbabwe (UZ) has completed the refurbishment of its bus terminus at its main campus in Mt Pleasant, Harare.
The bus terminus was designed by UZ students and built at a cost of about $180 million.
It has bathrooms, shops, sheds, seats, and will be running on solar, with power points that have charging ports.
Speaking to <a href="https://www.sundaymail.co.zw/new-uz-completes-modern-bus-terminus">The Sunday Mail</a>, UZ Vice Chancellor, Professor Paul Mapfumo, said the refurbishment of the terminus is part of the ongoing process of modernising the institution to meet the demands of Education 5.0. He said:
<blockquote>
I always had a very strong feeling that when students come to UZ, their first port of call is the terminus.
It was not looking good, giving a bad first impression of the institution.
We have been having a problem with vendors who are close to the terminus currently in use.
We have put in infrastructure for the selling of food, and wares and this should allow our students to have convenience the moment they arrive at the institution.
</blockquote>
The student parking opposite the UZ Faculty of Law served as a makeshift bus terminus as the terminus was being upgraded.

UZ Upgrades Bus Terminus At A Cost Of $180 Million

Higher, Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Minister Amon Murwira has justified the recent tuition fee increase at the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) arguing that the government is already subsidising tertiary education in the country.
The UZ hiked fees by more than 700 per cent, with students now expected to pay an equivalent of US$1 000 per semester.
Speaking at a Press conference on Thursday as he welcomed a Russian Federation delegation that is set to tour the country’s tertiary institutions, Murwira said:
<blockquote>
If only we could compare Zimbabwe with southern Africa, we have a relatively lower level of fees. I am avoiding saying the word cheap because we are subsidising higher education.
If we were not subsiding, it would be around US$10 000. The issue with the UZ is that they met on August 18 and they agreed on the fees that they are going to charge. Let’s separate politics (from) education. We are not going to entertain that.
</blockquote>
The tuition fee hike sparked protests at the UZ’s Mt Pleasant campus that resulted in 19 students being arrested early this week.
UZ Students Representative Council (SRC) spokesperson Takunda Gift Chinoda denied claims that there was an agreement on the new fee structure. He said:
<blockquote>
As SRC we want to distance ourselves from the claim by the administration that we agreed on the 30% US dollar increment of fees.
The administration justified the fee hike whereas SRC disagreed.
</blockquote>
Chinoda called on students to continue putting pressure on UZ authorities to reverse the fee increment. | <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200000544/minister-defends-uzs-1000-fee-hike">NewsDay</a>

Minister Murwira Defends University Of Zimbabwe Tuition Fees Hike

Amnesty International (AI) has condemned the arrest of more than a dozen University of Zimbabwe (UZ) students who were arrested following a protest at the Mt Pleasant Campus on Monday.
The students were peacefully protesting against the recent unilateral tuition fee hikes which they felt were too exorbitant and beyond the reach of many.
In a statement Thursday, Lucia Masuka, Executive Director of Amnesty International Zimbabwe, urged authorities to drop the charges against the students. She said:
<blockquote>
Authorities must drop sinister charges against University of Zimbabwe students who have been peacefully protesting high fees and affirm their right to freedom of assembly and expression.
It is such a travesty of justice that these students are having to spend time in detention and courtrooms for simply asking for affordable education so that they can remain in lecture rooms.
The arrests of these students, who were protesting peacefully, are a violation of their right to protest.
Authorities must respect students’ right to peaceful protest and drop all charges against them.
We consider the arrests to be arbitrary and call on the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to respect the freedom to petition and demonstrate as guaranteed by the constitution.
</blockquote>
The 14 students who were arrested on Monday, detained and charged with disorderly conduct were identified as Thelma Nzero, Mufaro Vhutuza, Owen Mashaya, Tinashe Zana, Tinotenda Mwenje, Fletcher Katehwe, Havana Mtetwa, Natasha Dhliwayo, Ropafadzo Mutangadura, Fatima Ajida, Tsungai Chitodha, Beyond Wendy Siwela, David Musasa, and Godknows Zabhura.
Five other students were arrested on Wednesday. They have been identified as Tivimba Musengi, Tinotenda Mangana, Hazel Gwande, Tanyaradzwa Nzvimbo, and Charles Moyo.
Some of the students were released on bail while others were released late on Tuesday after paying ZW$2 000 admission of guilt fines for disorderly conduct.
The students were represented by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR). | <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/amnesty-international-condemns-crackdown-on-protesting-uz-students-calls-for-end-to-arbitrary-arrests/">New Zimbabwe.com</a>

Amnesty International Condemns Arrest Of UZ Students

Sixteen (16) University of Zimbabwe (UZ) students who were arrested on Monday in connection with demonstrations against tuition fee hikes have all been released.
UZ recently increased undergraduate fees to between ZWL$300 000 and ZWL$500 000, up from ZWL$50 000, while some Master’s degree programme tuition fees were increased to close to ZWL$1 million.
The Students’ Representative Council (SRC) leader, Allan Chipoyi said the 16 students were all released. He said:
<blockquote>
Since Monday, police have been looking for the organisers of the demonstration that happened and they arrested 16 students who have so far been freed.
</blockquote>
Two of the students, Thelma Nzero (19) and Tinotenda Mwenje (21) appeared before Harare Magistrate, Taurai Manuwere and were remanded out of custody to 29 September.
The two, who were among 14 suspects that were detained at Avondale Police Station, were released on free bail Wednesday.
Their alleged accomplices were released on Tuesday after paying ZWL$2 000 admission of guilty fines at the police station for disorderly conduct.
Meanwhile, police arrested five more UZ students on Wednesday as they continued their search for the organisers of the Monday protests at the Mt Pleasant Campus. | <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/5-more-uz-students-arrested-over-feesmustfall-protest/">NewZimbabwe.com</a>

UZ Students Who Were Arrested Over #FeesMustFall Protest Released

Police arrested five more University of Zimbabwe (UZ) students on Wednesday in connection with demonstrations against tuition fee hikes that took place on Monday at the Mt Pleasant campus.
The five are Tinovimba Musengi, Hazel Gwande, Purpose Mangana, Tanyaradzwa Nzvimbo and Charles Moyo.
They were detained at Avondale Police Station pending their court appearance.
On Monday, 16 students were arrested for allegedly participating in the demonstration.
The Students’ Representative Council (SRC) leader, Allan Chipoyi told NewZimbabwe.com that the 16 have since been freed. Said Chipoyi:
<blockquote>
Since Monday, police have been looking for the organisers of the demonstration that happened and they arrested 16 students who have so far been freed.
Today some students were trying to stop others from attending classes as they had agreed that they are staying home, and no one must attend lectures until the issue has been addressed.
The police and UZ security started chasing away students and that is when the five students got arrested.
It is unfair as no one knows if they were part of those who were trying to stop others or not.
</blockquote>
UZ recently increased undergraduate fees to between Z$300 000 and Z$500 000, up from Z$50 000, while some Master’s degree programme tuition fees were increased to close to Z$1 million.
Chipoyi called for dialogue between students and the university administration on the way forward. He said:
<blockquote>
The administration must understand that our parents are peasants and they do not afford such huge amounts of fees.
We need dialogue with the administration on the way forward so we can agree on a more reasonable amount.
</blockquote>

Five More UZ Students Arrested Over Demonstration

University of Zimbabwe (UZ) students have petitioned Parliament seeking it to intervene over the recent sharp tuition fees hike and guarantee that they enjoy their right to education.
This comes after UZ increased its fees by more than 600%. Undergraduates will now pay $485 500, up from $60 526, while those studying for masters programmes will fork out $1 million per semester. Reads the petition:
<blockquote>
The proposed tuition fees are not considerate of the other essential expenses every student has to go through.
Most students are not from Harare which means they need to cover their accommodation and with where the university campus is located, surrounded by low-density suburbs, the accommodation charges are higher than US$50 per month.
The average salary of a civil servant is US$175. At that amount, the majority of parents cannot afford to pay the proposed fees since they also have to cover family basic expenses.
To consider our petition as an urgent matter and immediately intervene in the UZ fees-making process to guarantee that the right to basic education is respected through the charging of affordable fees.
</blockquote>
The students said the tuition fees must be pegged at $200 000 and below for all degree programmes. | <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200000441/parliament-petitioned-over-hefty-uz-fees">NewsDay</a>

UZ Students Petition Parliament Over Tuition Fees Hike

Sixteen (16) University of Zimbabwe (UZ) students were arrested Monday for participating in a demonstration at the Mt Pleasant campus over a recent tuition fee hike.
The students were expected to appear at the Harare Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
They were reportedly dragged out of hostels by the police using evidence of pictures circulating on social media.
The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) said that three student leaders were assaulted while in police detention.
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) has condemned the arrests and demanded the students’ unconditional release. It said:
<blockquote>
The number of students arrested as of Monday’s UZ demo has risen to 16. We continue to call for the unconditional release of the students, who we believe have no case to answer for all they did was peacefully demand affordable university fees.
</blockquote>
UZ increased undergraduate fees were increased from ZW$50 000 to between ZWL$300 000 and ZWL$500 000, while some Master’s degree students will need to pay ZWL$1 million.
The tuition fee hike prompted students to protest on campus threatening to boycott classes until the increase is reversed. | <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/16-uz-students-arrested-for-staging-fees-protest-expected-in-court-today/">NewZimbabwe.com</a>

16 UZ Students Arrested For Protesting Over Tuition Fees Hike

Harare lawyer Tendai Biti has criticised the country’s biggest university, the University of Zimbabwe (UZ), for increasing tuition fees, describing the hike as “unjustified, irrational and unlawful.”
UZ recently increased tuition fees from ZWL$50 000 to half a million Zimbabwean dollars.
Biti, who is a former Minister of Finance, warned that parents and guardians will find it difficult to raise the new fees. He said:
<blockquote>
The massive tuition fee increases of over 700% at the University of Zimbabwe are irrational and unlawful.
Asking parents to fork out US$1 300 per semester for tuition alone is ridiculous.
Moreso when UZ received an additional $4.5 billion in the Supplementary Budget to take the total to $7.9 billion.
Education is a basic human right protected by section 88 of the Constitution. It is at the core of the right to human dignity.
ZANU PF’s actions at UZ are a blatant assault on the right to education. They betray the absence of an ideology or inner morality guiding the regime. Shocking bankruptcy.
</blockquote>
Meanwhile, government spokesperson, Nick Mangwana, said UZ students should resort to schemes such as payment plans. He tweeted:
<blockquote>
There are students whose domestic situations are such that they may struggle to pay fees.
Universities run different support schemes to assist these students to meet their fees.
Some unis like the UZ have these schemes; 1- Work Study Programmes, 2- Fees Payment Plans and 3- Student Loans.
</blockquote>
On Monday UZ students staged a flash demonstration demanding that authorities reverse the recent tuition fee hike. | <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/biti-wades-into-uz-tuition-fees-standoff-says-new-rates-are-unjustified-irrational-and-unlawful/">NewZimbabwe</a>

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