Govt owes higher learning institutions over $62 million in cadetship

Deputy MInister of Higher, Tertiary Science and Technology Godfrey Gandawa has said the higher learning institutions in Zimbabwe are owed by the government over $62 million in cadet-ship.

He was speaking in parliament when he was asked by legislators about the cadet ship scheme for the students.

"We have challenges in the payment of the cadetship fees and to date, our institutions of higher learning are owed $62 million by Government across all institutions.  As Government, we have engaged our counterparts in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development because it is the Treasury's duty.  It is not the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development that must pay the institution, but it is Treasury that is supposed to pay the institutions," he said.

"We sympathise with our institutions because they really need that money to make sure that the institutions are running.  We have engaged Treasury.  They are now paying US$30 000 every month to the institutions spread across so that at least they cushion the institutions until the whole debt is cleared.  We know the amount that is being paid per month is not as much as we would like, but as Government, we appreciate the problems that we have and we assure the intervention that has been made will mitigate against the challenges that the institutions are facing, but we are seized with the matter and appreciate that Hon. Members also agree and sympathise with our institutions that they should be paid so that our institutions continue to be afloat."