Sarah Elizabeth Carpenter
February 3, 2009 @ 3:22 pm
Students Arrested as Threats to Establishment of Zimbabwe Unity Government Mount
A riot broke out at the university in Zimbabwe over the administration demanding that the students pay large sums of money in U.S. currency. Four hundred dollars just to be able to take finals on time and a thousand dollars for second semester before students could start to study.
The riot was a wild on and involved hundreds of students who proceeded to throw stones at near by traffic and cause a scene over the money. The riot was controlled with large quantities of tear gas. Overall sixty students were arrested five of whom were injured and required medical service.
The problem here is that the Zimbabwe dollar has no value so the government has decided to make U.S. money legal. To many people in Zimbabwe ten U.S. dollars is a great sum. For ninety percent of the employed people and public servants Zimbabwe currency is what they are paid. This was also, for the most part, a large surprise because the students and parents had no idea about the change in currency.
The school does not offer nearly enough students aid to attend the university. Only two hundred students are given presidential scholarships and most of the people receiving the money are children of senior members. As for solving the problem the government has not made any decisions on what to do and the spokesman Nelson Chamisa is deliberately avoiding the conversation until the middle of the month.
This article just proves how money is everything. In foreign countries if you don’t have it you are kicked aside, and for these students who deserve and education will not be able to afford it. This situation is in complete control of the government. It will not only effect colleges but families who are trying to support families on the Zimbabwe dollar, which is sad. I agree with the students and if I had been placed in that situation I would be right beside them protesting my right for an education. It is very sad to me that the schools do not offer more aid to students and that the ones that are offered are not need based. I for one am glad that the U.S. looks at income because without my financial aid I would have loans for the rest of my life.

http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-02-03-voa37.cfm