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AS schools re-open for the second term across the country today, parents and guardians have applauded learning institutions for accepting the new Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) currency for payment of fees, a huge confidence boost for the local currency.
The past few days have seen a hive of activity in major cities and towns as parents, guardians, learners and educators prepared for schools opening while traders made a killing through selling educational materials.
Most learners attending boarding schools left for their different destinations yesterday. In Bulawayo, the City Hall parking area was busy from morning to afternoon as pupils and their teachers jostled to board buses as others conducted last-minute shopping.
Parents and guardians who spoke to Chronicle expressed optimism for a smooth term and commended schools for accepting the new currency. Unlike last term where most schools were demanding either full fees or a huge percentage in foreign currency citing the risk of devaluation, this term, things are different.
Parents said several schools were accepting the new currency at the prevailing interbank rate and that they were also allowed to pay a component in ZiG as per agreements with respective schools.
Mr Desmond Dlodlo, a parent to a Form Two child at Minda High School in Matobo District, said the only challenge he was facing was that his bank was still facing challenges in swiping ZiG, which hindered him from paying using the new currency.
“My bank is still not working as they say they are fixing the ZiG swiping component. Because of that, I failed to swipe my child’s fees in ZiG. However the school was taking the ZiG at a fair rate and to complain is just being ungrateful,” he said.
“I’m really happy because they are making things easy for us civil servants as we no longer have to buy forex from the streets at a high premium.”
Mr Elias Moyo, whose son is doing Form Four at Embakwe High School, said he was happy to be allowed to pay fees using ZiG without worrying about buying forex from illegal money changers.
“The school accepted fees using the new currency. I am happy because this term’s preparation was not that bad. I even bought winter uniforms using ZiG because shops are accepting the new currency,” said Mr Moyo.
Another parent whose daughter is at St Francis Tshitshi High School in Mangwe District, Ms Loice Kachuta, said people who are working in the informal sector made a lot of sacrifices to send their children to boarding schools and they expect to reap benefits.
“Getting ZiG has been very difficult for us who are working in the informal sector because people do not have access to a lot of ZiG yet. Because of that, we had to pay school fees and buy groceries using the little forex we have and that has emptied our pockets,” she said.
“Those who bought groceries have been commending the new currency because everything has been very cheap and easy to buy because everyone is trading at bank rate.”
National Association of Secondary Schools president, Mr Arthur Maphosa, said as Zimbabwe remains in a multi-currency regime, schools will be accepting ZiG as a mode of payment, just like any other currency.
“As schools, we follow Government policy and it is a laid down procedure that we should accept all forms of payments be it the US dollar, rand, or the local currency and in this case ZiG,” he said.
“It does not make sense why some schools will reject ZiG, for instance, teachers are partially paid in ZiG, so why would schools reject a currency that parents are known to be earning.”
Mr Maphosa said the ZiG can contribute to improving the quality of education as the new currency is stable and will enable schools to improve on their planning.
“So, we welcome the ZiG. It’s stable and with its stability, we will not experience a situation where we would adjust budgets every two weeks. With the new currency, schools will be able to buy the resources that they need, which in turn will improve education delivery,” said Mr Maphosa.
Mr Maphosa said schools were ready for the new term as they started implementing the heritage-based curriculum. He applauded the Government for starting the capacity building for teachers to ensure implementation success.
“The curriculum has been communicated to us. Staff development is ongoing so that we align ourselves with the expectations of the new learning area. We are ready to embrace the heritage-based curriculum. Already, we had Heritage Studies as part of the learning area, so it’s not a new learning, it’s not extremely new, so we are ready to embrace it,” he said.
Contacted for comment, Zimbabwe Teacher’s Association (Zimta) chief executive, Dr Sifiso Ndlovu said despite challenges facing the education sectors, teachers were ready for the new term and will all be reporting for duty as expected.
While commending the adoption of the new currency, he said teachers were hopeful that public transporters will start accepting ZiG fares.
“Teachers have raised concern over transport issues because as it is kombi operators are still not accepting ZiG, which is problematic for us because it means they have to buy forex,” said Dr Ndlovu.
“Apart from that, as teachers, we are ready for this new term and are looking forward to it.”
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has said it will partner with the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission, Financial Intelligence Unit, as well as the Zimbabwe Republic Police to ensure all schools accept ZiG as payment of school fees and other financial obligations.
In a statement released yesterday ahead of schools opening, the ministry also said parents and guardians were under no obligation to buy school uniforms or stationery from schools but were instead free to buy the items from any shop of their choice.
“The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education appreciates that the first term’s school holiday has ended and that pupils were given adequate time to rest and are ready to resume term two schooling,” reads the statement.
“As we approach the commencement of the second term, the ministry would like to advise the nation and reiterate its policy regarding the payment of approved school fees and levies. The current local currency in the form of Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) as announced by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) through a monetary policy statement, is a legal tender of transaction in schools.”
The ministry urged all schools and service providers to embrace the monetary policy guidelines as pronounced by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.
It also said parents or guardians must be allowed to pay in the currency of their choice and not exclusively in a certain currency and, especially foreign currency.
For parents and guardians paying fees in ZiG, the ministry said they must pay at the prevailing interbank rate of the day the transaction is made.
“The ministry will continue to work with other Government agencies, such as the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission, Financial Intelligence Unit, the Zimbabwe Republic Police, as well as the internal inspectorate of the ministry to ensure compliance,” read the statement.
School authorities have also been reminded that the obligation to pay school fees and levies lies with parents and guardians, not learners and as such no learner must be sent home for non-payment of school fees before urging parents or guardians to meet their obligations, said the ministry.
“No child should be sent away from school due to non-payment of fees and levies. Furthermore, parents and guardians are free to purchase uniforms and stationery wherever they find it affordable as long as they adhere to the specifications set by the schools,” it said.
“The ministry remains committed to facilitating access to a relevant, quality, inclusive, equitable and comprehensive Heritage-Based Education to all Zimbabweans.
“Any school heads that defy this directive will have disciplinary measures taken against them,” said the ministry.
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