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UDSM explodes again over studies stipend
2007-04-17 10:15:43
By Angel Navuri
Crisis over university sponsorship resurfaced yesterday at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), as students went on strike, demanding 100 per cent government stipend for their studies and additional allowances.
The students, holding placards and posters with messages expressing anger over what they termed as gross mismanagement of student loans, marched from the university`s police station at the main campus to Nkrumah Hall.
Students pointed an accusing finger at the Higher Education Students’ Loan Board (HESLB), claiming it was the number one enemy behind their financial woes and related problems facing government-sponsorship of university students.
Currently, the government offers 60 per cent scholarship to qualified university students, but UDSM students rejected the money saying it would not be enough to fund their studies, considering the financial constraints facing their families.
They also asked the government to ponder increasing food allowances, saying the current 3,600/- paid per day was not sufficient.
In separate interviews, some students criticised the conduct of the Fourth-Phase Government and performance of HESLB, saying it didn’t care about their welfare.
“Forty per cent is so big amount for most students…we cannot afford; we are unable to top up,” said Crace Mvungi, a second-year student.
“The 3600/- paid to a student as meal allowances is not enough. We cannot survive with this money,” another student, Mohamed Saidi said.
UDSM Student Organization (DARUSO) President, Deo Daud, said students would not resume classes until the government responded to their complaints.
“We will continue to stay around the compound, but we cannot attend classes. As citizens, we have the right to be educated,” said the student president at a meeting convened to look into the controversy.
He, however, cautioned students against destroying any university property to avoid unnecessary problems.
Students said although the HESLB is to blame for the shortfalls in the issuance of student loans, but the problems had been triggered by the government.
They called on other institutions to help UDSM students out of an on-and-off sponsorship crisis, which they said was increasingly becoming chronic.
The Vice-Chancellor of UDSM, Prof. Rwekaza Mukandala, told this paper that the administration was working to convince the students to stop striking as their problems were being considered at both the university and government levels.
Prof. Mukandala said the students’ problems had been sent to the government level and even the President was aware of them.
“We are feeling bad with the steps they have embarked on of late as they have disrupted most of the university activities,” he told this paper.
He said the administration was aware of a certain group of students that had been inciting others to strike.
“We know the group and that is the current leadership, the students` president and his parliament.
They are being supported by the first year students in the strike,” he clarified.
He said not all students were involved in strike, but some were being forced by the group which threatens them not to go to classes.
“There are some students in second, third years and others who have written to us saying they want to continue with studies and that they are not involved in the strike,” Prof Mukandala explained.
The Vice Chancellor said there were other issues, which the authority had taken up with the Parliament and requested them to discuss.
He cited issues like practical training, which cost a lot of money and could not be solved by the Senate.
“But as of now, we are trying with other members of staff and we are also glad to learn that even the academic members association (UDASA) is assisting us in solving the problem,” he said.
The Vice Chancellor said the administration was out to ensure that safety and security were at hand and that the students themselves had promised that they would not harm or destroy anything during their ongoing strike.
“But you must also understand that the university has its laws regarding refusing to go to classes, strike and others. If the striking students will continue with a strike for three days, then we have to order them to go home; even the government is aware of this,” he insisted.
He said the university administration would sit today with a committee of deans and departmental directors to discuss the matter.
Efforts to reach the HESLB chairman, Nimrod Mkono, the Minister for Science and Technology and Higher Education, Prof Peter Msolla and his deputy, Gaudensia Kabaka, could not bear fruit yesterday.
While Mkono and Kabaka could not be reached via their mobile phones, Prof. Msolla said he was attending a funeral.
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