COMMENT: Kudos to Government for making schools toe the line on fees payment

We commend the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education’s vigilance and monitoring mechanisms that have seen schools embracing the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) currency for school fees payment.

By so doing, the ministry lifted the parents’ burden of sourcing for forex before schools opened.

Some schools were demanding that parents pay percentages of fees in local currency and forex and we are happy that the ministry has also put a stop to that, directing that fees can be paid exclusively in the local currency.

Speaking to our sister paper Sunday News, the ministry said some schools initially ignored the directive but after visits to the facilities, they adhered to the directive.

Director of Communications and Advocacy in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Mr Taungana Ndoro said the Government has always been clear that no school is allowed to refuse the local currency as payment for fees.

“All schools, Government and non-governmental are supposed to accept it if a parent comes and wants to pay with that currency. If their fees are paid in United States dollars they should accept the ZiG currency at the interbank rate on the day that the transaction is made. ZiG is legal tender in the country and no school is allowed to charge school fees in USD only or to compel parents to pay 50 percent USD and 50 percent ZiG. No,” said Mr Ndoro.

He said the Government policy is clear in that a parent or guardian only pays in a currency that they are comfortable with, if they wish to pay in ZiG they can do so, and if they have free funds in foreign currency they can also use it.

Mr Ndoro, however, said some “rogue elements” have abeen defying Government orders.

“Yes, there were several schools during the first week of opening schools that were refusing to take ZiG and were only taking USD and we issued a directive and had a massive publicity campaign regarding compliance. What we have noticed is that the response has been very impressive. Parents can pay with ZiG. We have not had as many reports as when the schools opened,” he said.