Curricula review delays intake of first-year students

Zimbabwe’s universities have deferred to August the traditional February intake of first-year students in order to review curricula and align them with the country’s new higher education framework. The deferment has raised eyebrows as it came two days after universities announced an 800% hike in fees.

Zimbabwe’s Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Amon Murwira told University World News the country’s institutions of higher learning are aligning their curricula to the Zimbabwe National Qualifications Framework which government operationalised last year.

“The decision was made by the universities and not by government. There is nothing like ‘government suspends enrolment’. The universities said they will be ready in August. The universities are the ones who are aligning their curricula on their own at their own agreement,” the minister said.

Reform of higher education

The Zimbabwe National Qualifications Framework (ZNQF) was adopted to reform the country’s higher education sector. It provides a mechanism that will allow for portability and comparability of qualifications in Zimbabwe to address, among other issues, non-recognition of prior learning, non-compatibility and non-comparability of skills and educational qualifications in the country and across borders.

In addition to easing the movement of local learners from basic education to technical and vocational education and-or university education, the ZNQF provides an instrument for the development, classification and recognition of skills, knowledge and competencies along an agreed continuum of 10 levels.

The ZNQF sets principles and guidelines by which records of learner achievement are registered to enable national recognition of acquired knowledge, skills and competencies, thereby ensuring an integrated system that encourages lifelong learning and ensures that qualifications attained at polytechnics and teacher training colleges are taken into consideration when one enrols at any university.

Two weeks ago, universities announced increases in fees of up to 1,000%. The government stepped in and set a cap on the fees for tuition and accommodation at Z$5,000 (approximately US$200), with tuition fees in particular not exceeding Z$1,200 per semester. It also announced it would make available Z$90 million for student loans.

However, the universities announced an 800% increase in fees on Tuesday 21 January, saying they were factoring in levies and accommodation.

Student protests

The move triggered a protest by students in Harare on Thursday 23 January. In a petition to the minister, the Zimbabwe National Students’ Union (ZINASU) said the 800% fee hike makes higher education virtually unattainable.

“… The majority of students have been unable to meet and satisfy previous fee structures in their respective institutions,” part of the petition reads.

The students said that in 2018 and 2019 unprecedented numbers of students were forced to defer their studies due to financial difficulties. “Now honourable minister, it would be a very sad abdication from logic to hike the same fees by … 800%.”

“What should be borne in mind is that life of a student on campus is made complete by other basic necessities that include but are not limited to transport, food, rentals and stationery. When prices and charges for these necessities are way up and exorbitant, it becomes very scary and sad that instead of getting protection that is expected to come from government, it is government that is seeking to make our lives more unbearable by an outrageous fee hike that makes education virtually unattainable. Unless the motive is to keep us out of school, this hike thus cannot be allowed to stand.”

In September last year the International Monetary Fund said the country’s inflation had reached 300% in August 2019 – the highest in the world. Local experts say the rate is now above 500% and it is taking a toll on all sectors, education included. Universities last raised fees in 2018 and were barred from doing so last year.