First degree students in various institutions of higher learning have
applauded the government’s move to raise their meal and accommodation
allowances, while cautioning their faculties against hiking the prices
of basic needs.
The students, whose meal allowance has been raised to 7,500/- from 5,000/- per day expressed profound thanks to the government. They only prayed that similarly generous gestures would follow in good time without having to come in the wake of students’ demonstrations.
Tanzania Higher Learning Institutions Students Organisation (TAHLISO) chairman Mathias Kipara said the government had taken a bold decision in raising the allowance by 50 per cent. “Since the government started providing meal and accommodation allowances, this is the first time we have been blessed with a 50 per cent increase in allowances. Until now, the highest rise was 25 per cent, so why not rejoice,” he noted. “We commend the government for this tremendously positive response….. It has without doubt made a bold decision,” he added. Kipara however called on the government to do the most it can to tame inflation, thus saving the Tanzanian currency from losing value “otherwise the rise in our allowances will be meaningless”.
He warned the authorities at public and private universities against using the rise in allowances to justify the doubling of the prices of the basic goods and the cost of the basic services meant for students.
Mzumbe University Students Organisation president Uswege Isaac said he was “impressed with the way the government has responded to years of appeals by students”, but also called on university authorities to keep the prices of basic needs at current levels. He similarly called for “equally favourable consideration in the future since life is getting more and more costly every passing day”, noting that the allowance package was exclusive of public transport “for which we are paying through the nose”. Institute of Finance Management student Anthony George meanwhile said though they had demanded 10,000/-, “the 7,500/- we have been promised will make some difference as we go shopping for essentials such as stationery and meals”.
A first year student at the Tanzania Institute of Accountancy who preferred strict anonymity argued that the rise in allowance fell well below expectations “because meals are much more expensive now than previously, having recently risen from 1,000/- to 1,500/-, while power shedding has also raised internet and printing costs”.
Institute of Social Work student Chrisant Matatina meanwhile noted that the previous allowance of 5,000/- was “long overtaken by events as it was is use since 2005 when food prices were very low”. “The rise announced by the government will bring some relief to us and will make students, especially girls, resist temptations to engage in risky behaviours that might adversely affect their health and academic performances,” he pointed out. “Challenges remain but we shall feel much better now,” he added. University of Dar es Salaam student Rabia Karichi also applauded the government’s gesture, adding though that 10.000/- would have been more realistic “since some students are accommodated in hostels far away from college and spend up to 1,200/- on bus fare alone”.
Tabling his 2011/2012 Budget estimates in the House on Tuesday, Education and Vocational Training minister Dr Shukuru Kawambwa said the government had responded appropriately to students’ appeals for favourable consideration. Complaints over meal and other allowances have for years been one of the factors behind sporadic strikes at institutions of higher learning, at times leading to college closures or the suspension of students. In total, according to the minister, the rise in allowances come to some 78bn/-.
The students, whose meal allowance has been raised to 7,500/- from 5,000/- per day expressed profound thanks to the government. They only prayed that similarly generous gestures would follow in good time without having to come in the wake of students’ demonstrations.
Tanzania Higher Learning Institutions Students Organisation (TAHLISO) chairman Mathias Kipara said the government had taken a bold decision in raising the allowance by 50 per cent. “Since the government started providing meal and accommodation allowances, this is the first time we have been blessed with a 50 per cent increase in allowances. Until now, the highest rise was 25 per cent, so why not rejoice,” he noted. “We commend the government for this tremendously positive response….. It has without doubt made a bold decision,” he added. Kipara however called on the government to do the most it can to tame inflation, thus saving the Tanzanian currency from losing value “otherwise the rise in our allowances will be meaningless”.
He warned the authorities at public and private universities against using the rise in allowances to justify the doubling of the prices of the basic goods and the cost of the basic services meant for students.
Mzumbe University Students Organisation president Uswege Isaac said he was “impressed with the way the government has responded to years of appeals by students”, but also called on university authorities to keep the prices of basic needs at current levels. He similarly called for “equally favourable consideration in the future since life is getting more and more costly every passing day”, noting that the allowance package was exclusive of public transport “for which we are paying through the nose”. Institute of Finance Management student Anthony George meanwhile said though they had demanded 10,000/-, “the 7,500/- we have been promised will make some difference as we go shopping for essentials such as stationery and meals”.
A first year student at the Tanzania Institute of Accountancy who preferred strict anonymity argued that the rise in allowance fell well below expectations “because meals are much more expensive now than previously, having recently risen from 1,000/- to 1,500/-, while power shedding has also raised internet and printing costs”.
Institute of Social Work student Chrisant Matatina meanwhile noted that the previous allowance of 5,000/- was “long overtaken by events as it was is use since 2005 when food prices were very low”. “The rise announced by the government will bring some relief to us and will make students, especially girls, resist temptations to engage in risky behaviours that might adversely affect their health and academic performances,” he pointed out. “Challenges remain but we shall feel much better now,” he added. University of Dar es Salaam student Rabia Karichi also applauded the government’s gesture, adding though that 10.000/- would have been more realistic “since some students are accommodated in hostels far away from college and spend up to 1,200/- on bus fare alone”.
Tabling his 2011/2012 Budget estimates in the House on Tuesday, Education and Vocational Training minister Dr Shukuru Kawambwa said the government had responded appropriately to students’ appeals for favourable consideration. Complaints over meal and other allowances have for years been one of the factors behind sporadic strikes at institutions of higher learning, at times leading to college closures or the suspension of students. In total, according to the minister, the rise in allowances come to some 78bn/-.
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