The Sunday News
Tinomuda Chakanyuka, Senior Reporter
MORGENSTER Teachers College in Masvingo has reportedly barred 91 students from writing their final examinations, forcing them to defer studies for non-payment of tuition fees, it has been learnt.
The students, all in their third and final year, will now join the group behind them next year to complete their studies. Third year students at the institution started writing their final examinations last Monday.
Sources at the college told Sunday News that 61 students doing a general primary course and 30 who were in Early Childhood Development (ECD) class were sent home for failure to settle their fees. The sources said only those that had paid their fees in full were allowed to write examinations.
“One student was helped by her classmates who contributed and raised what she was owing. She paid just before the first examination started and was allowed to write. Others were chucked out of the examination room and were told they would join the following groups only after paying their fees in full,” the source said.
The sources added that college principal Mrs Raviro Chipato was allegedly also seeing red over a story published in the Sunday News about the college sending home students for non-payment of fees.
Mrs Chipato, the sources claimed, has embarked on a witch-hunting mission to find the source of the story among the students and members of staff.
“She’s fuming. She wants to find the person who leaked the story,” the source said.
Mrs Chipato was not reachable for comment as she was said to be away attending a graduation ceremony at Great Zimbabwe University when Sunday News called for comment.
The college accountant, Mr Tauya Godzamutsipa, declined to comment and referred this reporter to Mrs Chipato’s personal assistant only identified as H Sibanda who refused with Mrs Chipato’s mobile phone number.
“I am not allowed to give out her number. Why don’t you go to whoever gave you my number and get her number,” she said.
Morgenster Teachers College which opened on 25 September for the third and final term of the year reportedly sent home almost half the students whose tuition fees accounts were in arrears. Some of the students were reportedly sent home for arrears as little as $4. One of the students turned away from college over fees arrears reportedly died in a car accident on her way to Mutare to collect her fees.
The students said authorities at the institution flatly refused to negotiate payment plans with the owing students, some of whom had paid more than three quarters of the fees.
Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Deputy Minister Dr Godfrey Gandawa has been on record saying tertiary institutions should give students seven days after opening to settle fees arrears.
He said authorities at tertiary institutions should be flexible and open to negotiate payment plans with owing students before taking punitive measures.
The students also feel that the $580 per term fees being charged by the college is too high and should be reduced.
