Paridzira Tarisayi Patrick

House No. 1775

Tangwena Street

MASVINGO

0776411874

26 November 2019

Mr E. Z. Mapendere (Mr)

Deputy Registrar

Human Resources &Legal Affairs

P O Box 1235

MASVINGO

Tel: 039-266662/49

Dear Sir (Mr E.Z.Mapendere)

RE: DEFERMENT OF STUDIES IN JANUARY 2019

The above matter refers.

This letter serves as a responds to your letter dated 31 October 2019 with the above caption
reference and the Staff Development Committee s resolution therefor taken on 28 August 2019.

1) I did not deferred my studies in January 2019, but I did deferred in August 2017 and
resumed my studies in August 2018 and therefore I am looking forward to complete in
January of 2020 not December 2019 as stated in your letter.
 2) BACKGROUND

As I clearly stated on my deferment forms, my father passed on and my son later on got
enrolled to study at a college in Harare during the same period. The two incidents, added
to my continuing with studies could not match my salary. I am just a mere grade 14
employee whose merger salary could not sustain my studies and that of my son
simultaneously. In an attempt to balance the situation, I had to forgo my studies for a
period.

However, in order for me to show my seriousness and willingness to continue with my

studies I presented to the Deputy Registrar , Academic a payment plan in which $75-00 was to
deducted from my salaries even when I was under deferment, hoping that when I resume my
studies later on my student account will have accumulated enough. Indeed in August 2018 my
student account had more than enough to cover for the whole semester without any exemption of
part of the semester fees.

3) With this kind of commitment I have willingly shown, I am confused as to why your
honorable committee (Staff Development Committee) had arrived at this harsh resolution
without even affording me an opportunity to appear before you, to explain my position
regarding this matter. Even in your letter, you did not state your reasons as to why I
should reimburse the University all the total fees exempted if I fail to complete my
studies in December 2019, which you were quite aware that it was impossible.

4) According to the Study Leave Regulations and Terms and Conditions of my studies
attached to the letter emanating from your office (Human Resources and Administration)
that was send to me informing me about my permission to study, reimbursement of fees
is mentioned only once under article 4 headlined BONDING where it says;
4.3 “In the event that a member resigns before completing the bonding period they will
reimburse the University the full amount of money that would have been paid towards the
tuition fees”. I did not resign neither am I contemplating doing so.
 5) I am equally confused on the issue pertaining to my completion of studies. Bachelor of
Commerce Honors Degree programme of which I am pursuing is an 8 semester
programme which is 4 years to complete. I am still within the 4 years period required,
why then I am supposed to complete my studies in December 2019?

6) If your honorable Staff Development Committee has adopted or proposing to adopt new
set of Rules and Regulations with regards to, Deferment procedures, reimbursement
regulations and period of studies that cover only staff members, shall it be applied
retrospectively?.
The General Academic Regulations for Undergraduate Degrees and Diplomas of the
Great Zimbabwe University under article 1.3 states that:
“ Normally,no student who has started a programme following one set of regulations
shall be set at a disadvantage by a regulation or regulations subsequently adopted”.

I kindly ask your Office to consider my queries as one of those genuine complains coming from
a deeply concerned subordinate seeking for a redress, please do not construe my response as
coming from someone trying to undermine your Office and Authority. I equally kindly ask the
Staff Development Committee to revisit there resolution with a sober mind and consider the
above narration.

Thank you

Paridzira Tarisayi Patrick

GENERALACADEMIC REGULATIONS FOR UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES AND

DIPLOMAS OFTHE GREATZIMBABWE UNIVERSITY