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(LUSAKATIMES) Government abandons Zambian students in Russia

Government abandons Zambian students in Russia
September 15, 2008

The government has in the last six months failed to give students allowances, deserting more than 400 students based in Russia.Thus leaving them to face the savage winter on their own without financial or material help. In a bid to buy school materials for the new academic year that opened two weeks ago,students both male and female have engaged in various activities to raise money. It is well know that the Russian law does not allow foreign students to work in Russia. This has lead to some students going to extreme measures to make ends meet.

According to a 2007 survey Moscow was found to be the most expensive city in the world, to live in. The students complained that their meager allowances, even when the government remembers to send them, are hardly enough to sustain them especially in the harsh winters.

“The average cost of living in Russia is approximately $600 per month and our government only manages to give us $200 per month which is paid after every 4 months. Every time our payments are delayed by at least a month. We tried to forge these complaints to our government but they have been giving us a blind eye and deaf ear. Officials from the Ministry of Education came some months ago only to come and comfort us and not minding our empty stomach,” said one student, who preferred to remain anonymous lest the government withdrew its sponsorship from him.

The students also lamented that they are given $10 equivalent for accommodation whilst current prices for accommodation facility’s range in price from $170 - $800 depending on the university and location. They are thus forced to lodge in dilapidated accommodation facilities.The students feel cheated as they where initially given the impression that accommodation is free.

“Is it just an adage that accommodation is free to lure the rabbit out of its hole or we are fed wrong information right from the start?” asked one of the students. The students however, emphasized that they never wished or required to live in luxurious hostels at the expense of the Government but only decent facilities.

“Why not just build better universities at home than sending us here in winter colleges so that we freeze broke! Please help us guys before we become beggers in Russia. Five months no money and snow!” cried another student.

The students are pleading with Government to look into the hardships they are facing. They request for the government to review the contract it has with the Russian government.

“We appeal to the stakeholders to foster amendments in the contract to better serve the welfare of students.”

Categories: Other News

Labels: RUSSIA, STUDENTS

posted by MrK @ 5:01 PM