7 June 2010
By Students Solidarity Trust (Solidary)
General Comment
Zimbabwe’s higher and tertiary education is still reeling in a myriad of problems hinged on underfunding by the government.
Provision of education is universally the prime responsibility of the government yet the current inclusive government has a lackadaisical approach to the everyday challenges in the sector emanating largely from underfunding. Yester year problems, the very problems associated with the rudimentary era of Zimbabwe dollar “burning†of money and the well documented political turmoil persist. They include unaffordable tuition fees; closure of campus residence at the University of Zimbabwe, a mundane soldierly student funding cadetship scheme, heavy handedness of ‘law’ enforcement agents when reacting to students’ protests, dilapidation of learning and research infrastructure; shortages of qualified lecturers, reference books, computers, stationary for administrative use and limited access to internet. Minister Mudenge of Higher and Tertiary Education is conspicuous with his silence and absence in spear-heading an all stakeholder collective initiative towards the resolution of the challenges faced by higher tertiary education as is being done by his counter part in the Ministry of Education Sports, Arts and Culture Senator David Coltart through the Education Transition Fund that caters for basic education.
MEDIA WATCH
Examinations
As the deadline for examinations loomed, there was chaos at some schools owing to the decision by some school authorities in Bulawayo to move the closing date for registration forward by a week. The Chronicle of May 18 reported that school authorities argued that they needed time to sort out the registration forms before sending them to Harare. This begs the question as to how centralised the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council [ZIMSEC] is and whether their provincial and district offices are of no use where examination fees are concerned. On average students write at least 8 subjects at Ordinary Level with each subject costing USD 10. Advanced Level students paid USD 20 for their subjects which should be at least 3. The Advanced Level students also have to pay USD 15 for a compulsory English Communication course. Several years of little economic activity have resulted in many parents unable to pay these fees due to several factors such as unemployment and very low salaries they are getting from government and the private sector. They therefore live from hand to mouth and any arbitrary shift in dates will surely throw them off course where budgets are concerned.
College Watch
The rise in sexually transmitted infections in colleges has led to calls for more information to be provided to students on sexual and reproductive health. The Herald of May 17 quotes Students and Youth Working on Reproductive Health Action Team [SAYWHAT], as revealing that 65% of students in tertiary institutions did not have adequate information on sexual and reproductive health. The research also highlights the little attention given to women’s sanitary wear as they are using rugs from campus bed mattresses and old pieces of cloth as sanitary wear because retailed products were beyond their reach. Due to lack of resources within the education system, the women’s sanitary wear has either fallen off the agenda or is now very low down on the authorities’ agenda of revamping education. However, this may have a long-term effect as several young women were now susceptible to side effects and cancers associated with using some of the materials noted above.