HIGHER Education, Science and Technology Development deputy minister Godfrey Gandawa has instructed all State universities to allow students under the cadetship programme access to lectures and results despite non-payment of fees. STEPHEN CHADENGA OWN CORRESPONDENT
Most State universities have been turning away students under the cadetship programme for non-payment of fees, but Gandawa said this was a violation of government policy.
“Turning away students under the cadetship programme is contrary to government policy and we have since come in and given instructions to culprit institutions to respect it (instruction) because it is government policy,” Gandawa said.
He told Southern Eye on the sidelines of the Gweru Polytechnic College graduation ceremony last Friday that the government had made arrangements to ensure the Finance ministry paid part of the cadetship fee on a monthly basis to universities.
He said the government understood that institutions needed the fees to improve on their infrastructural development programmes.
“We have said students must learn while the Finance ministry funds and pays institutions that are owed money and we have agreed that institutions should at least be paid $20 000 on a monthly basis as part of the cadetship fee,” he said.
The government has been accused of failing to honour promises under the cadetship programme as funds for the scheme are not being paid to universities affecting student learning processes.
