TSNP calls for reinstatement of 10 Cuhas students

Dar es Salaam. The Tanzania Students Networking Programme (TSNP) has called for reinstatement of 10 suspended Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences (Cuhas) students.

The students were suspended after demanding participation in the university’s council to discuss medical capitation fees, which stands at Sh200,000 instead of Sh54,000.

Speaking on Sunday, June 10, the TSNP chairman, Mr Abdul Nondo, said the students were suspended because of fighting for their rights in accordance with the university’s prospectus.

Mr Nondo urged the government through the ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Vocational Training to intervene and ensure that education institutions such as Cuhas abide by the country’s rules.

"The ministry responsible for education should not turn a blind eye on private institutions, most of which contravene the country rules. Their businesses should not harass students," he said.

He added that TSNP together with the National Coordinator of Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition (THRDC) plan to write to the ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Vocational Training, and Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU) to demand Cuhas to reverse their decision.

Out of the 10 suspended students, two have already been permanently dismissed.

The suspended Cuhas leaders were also demanding the university to scrap penalty fee for students who pay their tuition fees late. They are charged Sh100,000 delay payment by a week.

The other concern the Cuhas students were raising is high tuition fee, which is way above Sh3.7 million recommended by TCU.

For his part, Mr Brighton Nyumayo, the former Cuhas prime minister, said the university suspended them without informing them about what they are accused of.