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Nqobile Tshili, [email protected]

GOVERNMENT has said the work for fees programme that has been introduced to cover students struggling to pay university fees has gained popularity in higher and tertiary institutions.

Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Amon Murwira revealed this in the Senate on Thursday.

“The work for fees programme is a very popular programme where students are able to state their plight and they can be helped. It is big at the University of Zimbabwe and Midlands State University, being the two of our biggest universities where our students are given a chance to work and then their fees are paid through that process,” said Prof Murwira.

He said the Government wants students to access higher and tertiary education as this is key to the development of the country.

“The spirit is to make our people access education because it is the national interest that they are able to be educated so that they begin to build this country, brick upon brick or stone upon stone for this country, to attain the necessary dignity so that it earns respect with itself, its neighbours, near and far,” he said.

Prof Murwira said the Government also has a loan facility accessed through CBZ but students are not keen on its usage.

“The second programme is where we have a Student Loan programme that was signed off by the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion by that time on 17th July 2018, where we put money in CBZ for our students to be able to access through a loan facility. This facility has not been that popular. Our students have not been availing themselves to take this loan,” said Prof Murwira.

-@nqotshili