Varsity asks hostel owner to compensate students

NYAGATARE - Umutara Polytechnic University has written to the proprietor of St. Monica students’ hostel asking him to compensate students meals they missed this academic year. About 338 government sponsored students accommodated at St. Monica Hostel in Nyagatare, claim that the hostel has failed to give them meals for a total of 35 days this year. They want the hostel to refund them over 5million francs. A meal is valued at Rwf600 a day. In a letter dated 28/08/2009, which The New Times has seen, the university vice Rector for Administration and Finance, Richard Kalimba, asked the hostel to consider students’ claims with ‘utmost urgency.’ However, when contacted yesterday, Frugence Nsengiyumva, St. Monica managing director, said that negotiations are still going on with the university. “There are some disagreements in paying back this money. But anyway, we are still discussing with the university and shortly we shall come to an agreement,” he said. Meanwhile, Kalimba assured students who missed their bursaries that the problem has now been solved. In an interview on Monday, Kalimba, said that they have finalised all the modalities and the students will access their money soon. “We have already signed a cheque for this money and the remaining process is in the National Bank of Rwanda to transfer the money to COOJAD [youth bank],” he said. Some of the students have been claiming about six month’s bursary arrears. Ends