Online Reporter
Alicia Kadzviti
Zimpapers Reporter
A Harare mother has secured a court order compelling her ex-husband to pay outstanding school fees to ensure their three children continue their education, amid a bitter maintenance dispute.
Yolanda Matura took her former husband, Henrick Ndau, to the Harare Civil Court seeking an increase in child maintenance from US$100 to US$200 per month.
She argued that the current amount was insufficient to cover the educational and health needs of their children, aged 14, 10 and 5.
Matura told presiding magistrate Hannah Fazilahmed that their eldest child is due to start high school this year, but faces enrolment delays due to unpaid fees.
The second child has accumulated school arrears, while the youngest missed an entire year of Early Childhood Development (ECD) owing to financial constraints.
She also highlighted that the eldest child requires a special diet for eye and stomach complications.
Ndau opposed the increase, stating that he lacks stable employment and survives on part-time work.
He proposed sharing the existing US$146 school fee arrears equally and offered to pay his half.
Matura countered, accusing Ndau of misrepresenting his financial situation. She claimed he works as a mechanic from home, has minimal living expenses, and consistently fails to meet his parental obligations despite repeated promises.
Magistrate Fazilahmed ordered Ndau to pay the full outstanding school fees and directed both parents to agree on a government school for the eldest child. She ruled that all future school-related expenses must be shared equally between them.
However, the monthly maintenance order remained unchanged at US$100.
The case underscores the challenges many families face in securing children’s educational needs amid financial disagreements following separation.
