MINISTER COLTART - We, as Zimbabwean students from Mutare Polytechnic, would like to express our great concern about the exorbitant and unrealistic tuition fees which are now depriving us of our right to education. February 2009 came to us as a remedy, but those were tantalizing promises of freedom because six months down the line, little seems to have changed. We are greatly concerned by these recent developments. Students have been forced to find their own ways of sustaining educational bills and demands (US$425.00/term against basic salary of US$150.00). Where are you expecting us to get the money? Female students have now resorted to visiting night clubs (Pavilion Sports Club) to make life sustainable at the college.
Where is the money going? We feel insulted by the attenuated services we are receiving. Non bona-fide and external students are getting access to the library after paying a meager US$5.00 at the expense of legitimate Mutare Polytechnic students who are requested to pour out US$100.00. With students ID one automatically qualifies to use library without any propagated technicalities. We really appreciate the efforts by the government to minimize educational expenses by introducing the cadetship scheme, but the way and how it has been conducted raises some questions, with some illegitimate and undemocratic aspects endorsed in the process.
As much as we appreciate the efforts being made to stabilize the economy (free education is unsustainable) we would also like you to acknowledge our presence by offering affordable education. We love our country and we will work for its survival, so dont deny us education. In a nutshell we are appealing to the GNU headed by the ministry to treat this as a matter of urgency because any delay will prejudice us and further jeopardise the education sector. – SECRETARY GENERAL MUTARE POLYTECHNIC, Mutare
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