Students at the Great Lakes Media Communication Centre (GLMC) in Kigali have raised concerns following recent harmonisation of tuition fees for higher learning institutions which has affected them.Before the harmonisation process, the affected students paid Rwf120,000 but they are now required to pay Rwf600,000 effective this academic year which started in September.Some of the students who spoke to The New Times on Monday said they are not certain about their studies as their registration plans were put on hold.Alfonse Munyankindi, said: “We have not yet registered and we do not know when we will do so. We do not know what is happening next.”GLMC came into place as a journalism capacity building centre, following requests from practicing journalist to government in 2008. Government provided the initial support, paying Rwf 180,000 for each student. The student then contributed Rwf120, 000 per semester.In talks When contacted, the director of GLMC, Jean Pierre Uwimana told The New Times that they were in talks with authorities and are awaiting their decision. He, however, acknowledged that the coming into existence of this training centre was part of broader efforts to help build capacity of practicing journalists.Despite the complaints, education officials claimed ignorance.“We are not aware of the problem,” said Fred Mugisha, the director of policy, research and planning at the Higher Education Council.
