U.Z situation forces students into desperation

Statements — By on April 26, 2010 5:07 am

The situation at the University of Zimbabwe has become so dire that students have resorted to unorthodox means to try and write their end of semester examinations and this has led to the arrest of 12 students. The twelve students were arrested on Thursday, 22 April 2010 for allegedly trying to enter the examination room using fake receipts. This desperate attempt by the students to write their examinations is a clear testimony of how bad the situation is at the largest and oldest institution of higher learning in the country.  

This followed the announcement by the university authorities that all students who have not paid their tuition fees, ranging from USD300- USD800 will not be allowed to sit for their examinations. About three quarters of the total number of students at UZ failed to raise the steep fees and attempts by ZINASU and the college SRA members to try and liaise with the authorities to allow the student to write were in vain. 

The students have been detained at Avondale Police Post since Thursday, 22 April 2010 which is in violation of their fundamental rights which stipulates that an accused person is to appear in court within 48hours after arrest. They are however, appearing today at the Harare Magistrates Court. ZINASU has organized legal representation through Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights. A serious intervention on the part of the Government is needed to resuscitate the situation at the University of Zimbabwe.

The Union is alarmed with the continued deterioration of learning conditions in colleges. The Union maintains that there is nothing criminal about what the students did, the students were just exercising and demanding their right to education. The UZ Vice Chancellor, Levy Nyagura should be ashamed for dragging ambitious students to court, their only crime being their desire to finish their degrees and contribute to the development of the public and private sector.  Nyagura should be reminded that U.Z is not a private institution and thus should be welcome to both the poor and the rich. 

The Vice-Chancellor should have devised ways of ensuring that all students write their examinations than being so cruel to the extent of putting security guards at all entrances to exam halls ensuring that the poor students are denied their right to education. The students did not commit an academic offence for example plagiarism, their only crime is that they come from humble backgrounds and cannot afford the mad fees being charged at the college. 

The behavior by the 12 students should be a wakeup call to the Government on how terrible the situation has gone in institutions of higher learning. ZINASU demands that the arrested students be released immediately and be allowed to write their examinations with or without paying tuition fees as it is their alienable right to acquire education. Instead of the police arresting criminals like Mwale who was busy maiming and killing innocent people all in the name of ZANU PF, they are still out to harass poor students!!!! 

The names of the arrested students are: 

  • Struan Gwekwerere
  • Ushe Amos
  • Michael Munodawafa
  • Tarisai Mukweba
  • Alfred Mundoko
  • Never Besa
  • Simbarashe Gava
  • Admire Masunda
  • Wellington Masuku
  • Tatenda Kangai
  • Thinkwell Gokuda
  • Elton Matarura 

 

ZINASU National Office 

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