Zimbabwe,+ZCTU+fully+supports+ZINASU+-+press+release

PRESS STATEMENT: ZCTU FULLY SUPPORTS ZINASU
The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) fully supports the ongoing mass protests by the Zimbabwe Students Union (ZINASU) over the increase of fees at all government tertiary institutions. Students at State Universities studying in the faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are now expected to pay $30 million per annum as tuition fees when student’s support is $11.4 million. Parents are now expected to pay the difference of $18.6 million. Residence fees are $24 Million per semester of which $21.5 million is for the meals. In some instances the total fees to be paid are $33 million per semester and the fees are supposed to be paid in full. The ZCTU is extremely disappointed by the government’s stance and wonders why everything at the moment is piled on the overloaded back of the workers. If the government is failing to give students enough support through grants and loans where does it expect the parents of the students to get the money from ? The average minimum wage in Zimbabwe at the moment is $6 million a month. The majority of students’ parents are low income earners and it is impossible to expect these parents to pay such exorbitant fees. While the hiking of fees is a denial of the basic right to education, it is also a clear sign to the parents and poor workers that the intention is to make their children poor as well so that only the children of the rich and powerful will get an education. The ZCTU also condemns the manner in which the police handled the student demonstrations, especially the arbitrary incarceration of student leaders and the deliberate disregard of lawful orders to release them. This willful disobedience and defiance of the rule of law by the Police has become a habit which cannot be tolerated any more. The ZCTU is also informed that three student leaders were suspended from the University of Zimbabwe after the demonstrations. The students are Mfundo Mlilo, Wellington Mahohoma and Collins Chibango. The student leaders were suspended for allegedly bringing the name of the University into disrepute. What reputation does the University still have besides that of making students destitute? The ZCTU therefore calls for the reinstatement of the suspended student leaders and the release of all students who have been arrested while fighting for their basic human right: The right to education.
 * Wellington Chibebe, 8 March 2006

SECRETARY GENERAL @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ Mlamleli Sibanda Information Officer ZCTU Box 3549 Harare Tel: 263 4 702517 Cel: 263 11 620 232 Fax: 263 4 728484 E:mail: info@zctu.co.zw Web : wwww.zctu.co.zw**