THOHOYANDOU - Two months ago, there was a dispute between the Univen management and students about unpaid tuition fees, owed by the students. The students damaged lecture rooms and the main entrance of the University during that time, but today they are singing one song together with their parents or guardians.

Last week, parents, students and the Univen management reunited and launched a Parents' Summit that will see the Univen management and parents of students engage in talks to thrash out issues of common interest.

This venture is the first of its kind for Univen, and the first in a series of forums aimed at opening up direct communication with the parents of its student body. The Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University, Professor Muxe Nkondo, said the launching of the summit is extremely important for the future of the University. "Every tertiary education institution is expected to collect education fees. Because parents are the ones who really foot the bill for their children's education, we found it prudent to address them on issues of concern to them and to apprise them of developments at the university," he said.

"Besides being able to make direct contact with parents on different issues, the aim is also to foster a culture of payment through direct involvement by parents," Prof Nkondo concluded.

The parents who attended the parents' summit pleaded with the university management to form a parents committee, which can work jointly with the Univen management and students, in a sense to participate in all programmes of the institution.

"We as the university, would like to thank the printed and electronic media for informing the parents about the recent plight within our institution. It is your job to expose this plight, but today we are singing one song with the parents and students," the Public Relation Officer (PRO) and Executive Director, Ms Yvonne Mogadime said.