STATE universities have started accepting payment plans from students for tuition fees in response to an outcry by the learners and parents over the recent fees hike.
The Government recently pegged tuition fees for State-owned universities at $5 000 or below for both full-time conventional students and those on block release.
Institutions such as the University of Zimbabwe (UZ), National University of Science and Technology (Nust) and Lupane State University (LSU) have offered that students pay 60 percent of their fees to register.
The remaining 40 percent is expected to be cleared two weeks before the commencement of exams.
In a notice posted by the Registrar Mr Jairos Makunde at LSU’s Bulawayo Campus, students were notified of the option to make a payment plan. “Students are hereby kindly reminded to pay at least 60% of their fees and register by February 17, 2020, failure which they will be barred from attending lectures,” he said.
Government pegged tuition fees for medicine and veterinary sciences in all State universities at $5 000 while sciences, engineering and technology students will pay $4 000. Humanities and social sciences students will be expected to pay $3 500.
However, LSU is charging $5 100 for social sciences, $5 100 for commerce and Nust is charging $5 788 for commerce, $7 500 for medicine and $5 050 for engineering for their conventional undergraduate programmes.
Linda Ncube (22), a second-year student at Nust commended the institution’s decision to implement a payment plan because it will help to relieve some pressure from her parents. “I think the payment plan is much needed because my parents are already struggling with the pressure of having to pay bills and my younger siblings’ school fees, so this payment plan will help to relieve some of that pressure,” she said.
Nust communication and marketing officer Mrs Lindiwe Nyoni urged students to approach the bursar’s department and make payment plans in order to attend lectures. “We understand that some students may have challenges with fees payment. We are offering payment plans and we advise students to approach the bursar’s department to make part payments and arrange for later payments. Registration will close on February 17. Students can also make use of the student loans available, such as the one offered by the Government to pay for their studies,” she said. — Chronicle
