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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondent
Provincial education offices have started distributing a circular of guidelines which should be used by schools intending to increase fees and levies for the first term of 2019.
This comes shortly after the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education released the circular.
In separate interviews, Bulawayo, Matabeleland South and Matabeleland North acting provincial education directors (PED) said fee hikes should only be done in compliance with Government’s directives.
Bulawayo Acting PED Mrs Olicah Kaira said a minimum of 20 percent of parents should consent to fees or levy hikes before Government can approve any changes.
“We have received a circular which was released by the Permanent Secretary which gives all schools guidelines on how they should go about the management of fees and levies in schools,” said Mrs Kaira.
She said in implementing Government policies, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education relies on stakeholder engagement, hence the importance of school development committees (SDCs).
Her counterpart in Matabeleland South Mr Lifias Masukume said his office has already started distributing the circular to schools.
Mr Masukume was however quick to point out that after going through the guidelines, schools should seek approval from the Ministry to hike fees.
“We don’t approve (fees hike), it’s done at the head office. What we are currently doing is sending out Ministry’s requirements to all schools which wish to increase levies. We are saying should there be any school in the province that wants to increase its levies; it should contact our provincial office. Let me actually state that we have a circular that outlines requirements to be followed. We shall be distributing and we have started distributing that circular to all the districts so that they are not inconvenienced through coming to the provincial offices,” said Mr Masukume.
He said so far only one school in the province has approached his office with the intention of hiking fees.
Mr Masukume said he has not come across a school that has requested groceries as part of the fees payment.
“I’m not aware of any school that has come forth to say so. Parents might have come across such a thing but we have not received any application making such a request which we are again saying any school doing so before approval by the Permanent Secretary will be violating the law,” said Mr Masukume.
Matabeleland North Acting PED Mr Jabulani Mpofu said his office has started dealing with schools intending to hike fees for the First Term of 2019. – @nqotshili
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