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Students and staff from the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) were figuring out how to get home at the weekend after authorities closed the institution on Friday following a three-week strike by lecturers, the ‘Zimbabwe Independent’ reported on Monday. The UZ senate, which closed the country’s oldest institution of higher learning, gave the students until Sunday to leave campus and return on 5 February next year.
Several students were still milling around the campus on Monday as they did not have bus fare for the trip home. Angela Manyangara, a Bachelor of Arts Honours student said: “The decision to close the University was harsh. We were not prepared for it. No transport was organised for us. The whole situation is confusing.”
UZ lecturers went on strike three weeks ago demanding a 90 percent salary adjustment backdated to January this year. The acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Levi Nyagura, declared the strike illegal and asked lecturers to resume teaching. The academic staff refused to comply and the college was closed. The university senate said final examinations would be written when the college re-opens in February.
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions