High Court quashes HIT demand for US$ fees

A-HIGH Court judge, Justice Happias Zhou has ruled that demands by the Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) for students to pay 35% of their fees in United States dollars was unlawful.

This was after the higher learning institution demanded that students should pay 35% of their second semester fees in US$.

The issue was challenged by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (Zlhr) lawyer Kossam Ncube who filed an application on behalf of the students to force the institution to scrap off its demands.

In handing down the judgement, Justice Zhou described the demand as unlawful.

 "We are glad to advise that Justice Zhou has interdicted @harareinstitute from levying 35% of fees exclusively in US$ after ruling that the order was unlawful," the Zlhr said in a statement.

Zimbabwean institutions, including government departments now prefer payments in US$ due to depreciation of local currency.

Last week, the Zimbabwe National Students Union (Zinasu) called on the government to ensure students are afforded their rights to education by reducing fees in learning institutions.

Their stay-away however flopped after heavily armed security forces were deployed to quash any protests.