NATIONAL University of Science and Technology (Nust) vice-chancellor Lindela Ndlovu has accused government of stifling growth of State universities through late disbursement of educational grants.
LUYANDUHLOBO MAKWATI
Ndlovu told a delegation led by Higher and Tertiary Education minister Jonathan Moyo last Saturday that his institution was also owed $2,2 million by cadetship students which the government had not paid.
He said grants for developing the institution had not been availed for this year and over the past years imbursement had not be coming on time as in some instances they would be 50% off the budget.
“Our PSIP (Public Sector Investment Programme) grants are no longer coming properly. For this year, we have not received anything. Last year, we got about 50% of the grant, that on its own has also affected the positive growth of the institution,” Ndlovu said.
He also accused the United States of imposing sanctions on the institution, a development which he said had slowed growth. He said they had on two occasions been denied the right to acquire equipment from American companies.
“At first we wanted to acquire some machines. We deposited the money when our cheque had gone through, but the company we were dealing with said they could not deal with us because we were a university in Zimbabwe. The second time the institution wanted to buy software and that did not materialise due to sanctions as we were given a similar response,” Ndlovu said.
