MANY tertiary institutions in Zimbabwe are failing to comply with laid down lockdown procedures, with most of them engaged in activities likely to expose their communities to the danger of contracting COVID-19 infections, Zim Morning Post has learnt.
Topping the list of institutions said to be thrashing the COVID-19 pandemic guidelines is the Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University (Zegu), which has ordered its students to pay up all tuition in arrears or face unspecified action.
Students and guardians contacted by Zim Morning Post have expressed shock at the move, saying the 21-day COVID-19 lockdown period would provide them with challenges in sourcing the required balances.
“With the lockdown, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for us to put together the total amounts required.
“Most of our parents (or guadians) are employed in the informal sector, implying they have find ways to cross our borders ln to countries like South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Botswana in order to vend for the money,” said a Zegu student who refused to be named.
“Alternatively, they have to put up a brave front and move from one house to another selling various wares, which is not good if the virus has to be contained,” he added.
The student also said putting together the tuition fees at times required travelling to relatives in faraway locations, causing breaches to the lockdown regulations, in the process exposing themselves and others to the virus.
Tertiary institutions such as Midlands State University, Great Zimbabwe University and Women’s University in Africa, among others, have never stopped dishing out assignments to their students, with due dates so close that they cause stress.
“Without being at college where we have already been levied for the use of internet, we have no choice but to clandestinely crowd for internet use in and around city centres.
“All this is against the spirit of fighting the virus infection,” said a journalism student with the GZU.
Meanwhile, it seems the University of Zimbabwe is one of the only tertiary institution which has halted all learning activities, including the stampede to collect tuition from the students as Zegu appears to be doing.
