HARARE The Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education needs at least $120 million to meet student grants and loans, Minister Stan MudengeStudents are being turned away from institutions of higher learning because they could not afford the exorbitant fees.
But Minister of Finance, Tendai Biti, told Parliament he had directed the education ministry to send students back to their respective places of learning, as they were still being paid.
“We need at least $120 million this year for student grants and loans. There was a misunderstanding between our ministries (Finance and Higher Education) as how to go about getting the money for the grants or loans.
“At the moment as you know the government does not have any cash and it is very unfair to say that my ministry is refusing with the money because this is just a technical issue between us and Finance.
“We should have discussed this issue before it went to the Press because there are several other items that are being misunderstood and misreported in the press about the grants and loans,” said Mudenge.
Biti had not consulted him before going to Parliament, he added.
Students have been up in arms saying the government had “reneged on its earlier decision” to help them continue with higher education.
The 33,000 students were due to receive about $1 000 each.
“We are all in it together, including the Minister of Finance. The headache is not only for the school children, but also for me and Biti.
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