MSU students in limbo over graduation: Open Letter

My story is an open letter to the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Dr Olivia Muchena and the Midlands State University administration authorities.

I write on behalf of around 2000-3000 students being funded by the Cadetship Scheme like me from my institution, MSU who are supposed to be graduating this coming Friday. These students have not been able to access their final results since the institution is refusing to unsuppress them due to amounts owing from the scheme.

The majority of us have cleared our ancillary fees which we are obliged to cover through the scheme. But however the University authorities have barred us from accessing our results. We are left in darkness now as we do not know if we have passed and are going to graduate on Friday 6 December. We cannot prepare for the ceremony without our results.

Our plea to access our results is not being addressed by the university authorities. We have been able to access our results since our first year, why does it have to change now? Somehow there has been a breach of contract, since we should not be barred from accessing our results.

The Cadetship contract only states that the government will withhold our certificates until the bonding period is over. The students urgently request immediate attention to this issue, otherwise they will be deprived of their right to graduate. Furthermore, how can they search for jobs without their transcripts? What is happening at MSU is unfair.

Troubled Student