Govt reviews policy on fees for students on attachment

GOVERNMENT is seized with the request to scrap fees for students on industrial attachment, Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo has said.

Prof Moyo said tertiary institution administrators were instead demanding that students on industrial attachment pay more as assessing them was more expensive than on-campus training.

In an interview yesterday, Prof Moyo confirmed that engagement had started over whether students on attachment should pay tuition fees following an outcry from parents and guardians who are struggling to meet the costs of higher education.

“The matter concerning the removal of fees was brought to our attention when we had consultations with the students and students representative councils from all institutions,” he said.

“We entertained them, but we looked at three possibilities. First they do not want to pay fees at all and I think it’s absurd.

“How are the institutions going to cater for basic and fixed costs from campus, including lecturers’ concerns?

“Secondly, students are advocating to pay a certain registration fee, but how then do we reach a specific figure to govern all tertiary institutions which vary from colleges, polytechnics and universities. Thirdly, I have information that they should pay more because tertiary principles and leaders indicated that it is even more expensive to be monitoring students and assessing students who are scattered all over the country, some I understand are going beyond borders in countries like South Africa for attachment.”

There are reports of massive dropouts as students fail to raise the fees required by most institutions of higher learning.

Depending on the course, university fees range from $500 to $1 000 per semester, excluding accommodation and food costs, among other expenses Various students representative councils have petitioned the ministry, arguing that paying fees during industrial attachment was unjustified considering, that the students did not use college facilities or attend lectures.

Prof Moyo said they understood the students’ plea, but were still working on reviewing the policy.