Gov't starves UB, feeds private institutions

The PAC learnt through Permanent secretary in the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science and Technology, Theophilus Mooko that the Government, upon budgetary constraints, asked for the institution to pay for students’ tuition from its reserves and promised to pay back the money. “UB is being starved for the benefit of private institutions. There was a clear budget for UB and procedure is clear that as soon as the ministry has been furnished with an invoice, they have to cross-check and pay.

“What happened to the allocated budget?” Tati East legislator Guma Moyo quizzed. In response Mooko said the Government and the UB council were in talks to rectify the matter. He said the Government had taken a decision that where there are budgetary constraints they would look at the finances of parastatals and those with funds would be asked to spend. Moyo expressed concern that there was no clear plan on how the money owed to UB will be paid. “This is very worrisome. UB is being starved for the benefit of private institutions. That is where the money that was budgeted for UB tuition has been taken to. Government institutions should be given the first priority. Fill all the spaces there before sending students to other institutions,” he said.