BY STEPHEN CHADENGA/ HARRIET CHIKANDIWA The Midlands State University (MSU) has advised first year students to report for orientation on Monday while dates for returning students will be advised in due course. MSU registrar Tinashe Zishiri said the students would be expected to adhere to COVID-19 regulations prescribed by the World Health Organisation and Health ministry. “MSU wishes to advise all first year, first semester students who were accepted for the February 2020 and August 2020 intakes that orientation and face-to-face lectures for conventional students will run from September 7 to September 19 2020,” Zishiri said in a statement. “Shared on-campus accommodation will be available at both the Gweru and Zvishavane campuses for undergraduate students. Accommodation fees will be $1 700, excluding meals which will be charged separately.” Last month, the MSU deferred examinations for final year students who were scheduled to start writing on August 3 citing a spike in COVID-19 cases. Meanwhile, workers at the National University of Science and Technology have vowed not return to work claiming they were incapacitated. In a letter to the vice-chancellor dated September 1, the workers reaffirmed their declaration of incapacitation that was announced on July 20, 2020. “So far, the university is expecting an unfair exchange of value, in which workers will spend their days at work offering their services, only to be paid wages that do not meet basic necessities,” the workers wrote. They added: “Workers last got a salary increment in February and this has since been overtaken by galloping prices of basic commodities and rentals. The salaries they are receiving are barely covering food expenses, let alone utility bills, rentals and transport costs.”