CLOSE to 7 000 ‘A’ level graduates annually may not access university education due to failure by government to build more universities, Parliament heard this week.
By Senior Parliamentary Reporter
Parliamentary portfolio committee on Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development chairman Peter Mataruse also said the failure to run the cadetship programme would condemn many youths to the streets.
“The non-construction of new State universities and colleges will mean that the difference of 13 500 students absorbed by current institutions from the 40 550 ‘A’ level students each year will have nothing to do,” Mataruse said.
“The arrears of over $63 million on the cadetship programme will be difficult to settle, let alone cater for new students with the current allocation of $8 million towards the cadetship programme, and this will increase the number of unskilled youths on the streets.”
Mataruse’s committee said limited funding for cadetship defeated the objective of developing a quality human capital base for the country.
The Higher Education ministry was given an allocation of $332 million in 2014, which was an increase of 13% from last year’s budget as it was one of the top five priorities in the national budget.
But the committee said most of the funds in the Higher Education ministry budget would be absorbed by employment costs at the expense of teaching and learning materials, refurbishment and construction of infrastructure.
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“The ministry should identify potential projects and activities that can be commercialised and ensure self sustenance of the ministry so as to reduce the burden on the fiscus. These may include specialised projects as well as that money paid as user fees by students should be retained by the ministry particularly for operational expenses,” the committee said.
They said government should increase allocations for the cadetship programme and scholarships so as to make higher education accessible to vulnerable students in society.
