The Sunday News
THE Government owes tertiary institutions in the country $62 million in unpaid fees for thousands of students on cadetship amid revelations that some institutions in the country are threatening to send home students arguing that the fees arrears were affecting their day to day running as well as denting hopes of an improved infrastructure.
The Government has, however, called for patience on the part of institutions expressing its commitment to pay the amount once Treasury gets the money.
In an interview recently, the Deputy Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Dr Godfrey Gandawa said the Government through his ministry owes tertiary institutions in the country a total of $62 million in unpaid cadetship fees.
He could not give the figures of students that are on cadetship nationally but said tertiary institutions should not send home students that have successfully applied for cadetship as that would be going against the Government policy.
“We owe tertiary institutions in the country a total figure of $62 million. We, however, appeal to the institutions to be patient with us as we have engaged our counterpart the Minister of Finance Cde (Patrick) Chinamasa. The Treasury is seized with the matter. We acknowledge the debt and want to express our commitment to pay.
“In the same vein I would like to make it clear that institutions of higher learning in the country should not bar from lessons students that are on cadetship as doing this would be going against the Government policy and directive. Yes, we are mindful that the debt is affecting them in a way. Tertiary institutions need to function but barring students would not solve anything, it will only be sacrificing them on the altar of Government debt. In fact institutions with a mind to do that should be warned accordingly,” said Dr Gandawa.
He added that students that were on the programme should be allowed to finish their studies without being sent home for failure of the Government to pay the fees until such a time when Government policy on the issue changes. He also noted that Government had relaxed the bonding conditions for students on cadetship that finish their studies after realising that there was no adequate employment in the country.
“The policy of cadetship was put in place by the Government and the conditions are such that upon completion of studies the person will be bonded for three years — which means they are supposed to work in the country. This was part of the Government’s efforts to retain skills but the current economic environment is prohibitive of such a condition as there are no adequate employment opportunities even in the Government. Those that finish their studies on cadetship now are therefore given a copy of their results and are allowed to go and look for employment in countries in the region where their skills are required such as South Africa, Namibia and Zambia,” said Dr Gandawa.
He said the debt was a result of unpaid fees that had accrued over the years and the fact that more and more students were admitted in tertiary institutions on cadetship.
Sources privy to the universities told Sunday News that most of the tertiary institutions were planning on sending the students home as a way to force the Government to pay the fees.
