TellZim reporter
Students at Reformed Church in Zimbabwe (RCZ) run Morgenster Teachers College staged a flash demonstration on July 15, 2022 around mid-day in protest over fees top-up communicated to them by the institution’s administration.
Students who include two intakes that is Intake 25 (third years from Teaching Practice) and 27 (who are first years who started on May 11) reportedly boycotted everything including classes and food served at the college for lunch.
The development came after the college announced a top up of ZW$ 34 000 or US$ 45 and the students were provoked by the hike which came a week before the college closure scheduled for next week.
One of the disgruntled students (anonymous) said the amount is too much considering where they are coming from and also the fact that they are closing next week.
“At first we were asked to pay ZW $ 55 700 before we topped up with another ZW$ 43 00 plus US$ 20. Now as if that is not enough, the college informed us that we have outstanding balances of ZW$ 34 000 or pay an equivalent of US$ 45.
“What angers most of us is that we are supposed to close next week and such an amount is just too much for our struggling parents and guardians and thus our decision to show college administration that we have had enough of it,” said the student.
Another anonymous student weighed in saying the meal that is served at the college is not commensurate with the fees hikes the college is always imposing on them.
“How can we always have to top up our fees when in the dining hall we are served with two slices of bread?” said the student.
After the protest, college administration is reported to have compromised after students boycotted lunch and revised the figure downwards as a way of convincing them to eat the food.
“At first, the college said the fees structure they are working with is the one approved by the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education and that is what students even at government run teachers colleges are paying.
“If that is so, why then are they making an about turn after the hunger strike by reducing the new top-up from ZW$ 34 000 or US$ 45 to ZW$ 18 000 or US$ 25?” quizzed the student.
Contacted for comment Morgenster principal Otilia Makura dismissed talk of a strike saying it was just a minor case of misunderstanding which has since been resolved.
“There was never a strike anyway. What really happened is that after we relayed the fees approved by parent ministry, students grumbled as they felt the fees were too high but they knew it was coming before.
“No one informed them that they are closing next week. As an institution, we are guided by government on when to close but after we announced the approved fee hike the students thought closing is the only way to run away. I just received the new fees structure via electronic mail on July 14 and that is when I communicated it to them.
“Initially, students were supposed to have topped up those fees long back but we were waiting for ministerial approval and now that it is here, they must pay that. After all we have a timetable and maximum number of hours that are required by the University of Zimbabwe that offers the diploma and if they can’t meet those hours, they would not have fulfilled requirements for the course,” said Makura.
She went on to lash out on a few rogue elements among the students whom she referred to as ‘products of the patriarchal society’ as being behind influencing others into bad behaviour.
“The ill-behaved students need iron fist men may be they can control them. We have some bad elements among our students who do not even pay school fees but are at the forefront of complaining about the increases.
“After they expressed displeasure, we got some names and referred them to accounts office only to realise that they haven’t paid even a single cent. Our main challenge is that the fees are paid in local currency and we cannot afford to buy the basics like enough food items or even fuel. In other words they do not appreciate our efforts in trying to adjust to economic challenges obtaining in the country,” she added.
The development is one of the major highlights on the plight of students in most if not all of the country’s institutions of higher learning where the struggle to make ends meet has been a major feature.
