Source: Govt scraps varsities cadetship programme – DailyNews Live
Helen Kadirire 9 June 2017
HARARE – Government has scrapped the special cadetship programme at
tertiary institutions because colleges and universities are currently owed
$34 million by Treasury, deputy Higher Education minister Godfrey Gandawa
has told the National Assembly.
He was answering to a question by MDC Bulawayo East legislator Tabitha
Khumalo why government had scrapped the cadetship programme that
benefitted vulnerable and poor students.
The Special cadetship scheme pays fees for disadvantaged students, who
would in turn work in Zimbabwe after college for an equal number of years
they received funding.
Students on the programme receive government grants or loans for their
training or education.
State universities and colleges around the country have refused to
register thousands of tertiary students who are on the cadetship programme
before the government cleared its outstanding payments.
“Institutions of higher learning are currently owed to the tune of $34m by
Treasury and institutions are no longer coping with the resources that are
required for teaching and learning,” Gandawa said on Tuesday.
“They have since reduced the number of students that they are taking on
cadetship using an assessment of the requirements.
“I must hasten to say that with the current economic situation, it will be
difficult for us to be able to say government will be able to fund
everyone.
“I should not stand up here and lie to you that the government will be
able to fund everyone.
“It is impossible.
“We have to meet half way.
“Education is a public good. The government must assist and the parents
must also assist so that we have our populace to be able to maintain our
literacy rate and be able to develop our nation. It is the responsibility,
of all of us.”
The deputy minister emphasised that government was paying full school and
boarding fees for all students in public schools who register for science,
technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects.
He added that at a time the economy was not performing well, parents also
had to meet government half way in terms of payment of tuition.
Khumalo queried why government had stopped the cadetship programme without
providing an alternative, and blasted the loan scheme introduced by
government.
Gandawa told the National Assembly: “If the students that are critically
not able to pay pass the criteria that they are using, they will be
assisted but the loan scheme is not bonding the parents.
“The loan scheme is just going to assist in terms of the tuition and
accommodation fees which the guardians or parents should be able to pay
back if they benefit from the banks.
“We are looking at other funding mechanisms to try and assist students
that are not able to pay.
“Some parents or guardians completely cannot afford to pay but in most
cases they do not have the resources at that particular moment.
“So, those will access the loans which are there in the banks and they
should be able to pay back,” he said.
COMMENTS
But how come same govt has money to pay for children of the rich whom we see gallivanting all over the world @ Zim taxpayers’ expense despite the same kids not even being among the country’s wiz kids by any stretch of imagination? They fail to enter any of Zim universities becoz they don’t have required minimum points then next thing they are shunted to other countries where even a O point at A-level or just O-level is enough for one to enter university – and there are many universities that admit the otherwise mediocre personalities by Zim standards. However, let me hasten to say, such institutions are not sub-standard at all; that’s not the issue – it’s just the differences in global education systems, and no problem with that. The issue here is: Why do rich people’s children who are dull by zim standards and whose corrupt parents can even afford to build 50-bdrmed mansions in Brooke or any where in the world have to be sponsored by Zimboz; & normally at not less than 5 times the cost it takes to sponsor a gifted poor student at any local institution?