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Victor Maphosa Herald Correspondent
PARENTS and guardians have welcomed the Government’s decision to suspend the recently announced public examination fees for 2020.
Primary and Secondary Education Minister Ambassador Cain Mathema announced the decision yesterday and advised parents to pay the old fees approved in 2015.
“While the examination fees that were published are based on the actual cost of each examination, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education would like to inform parents and guardians that following further representations, the recently released circular on the 2020 examination fees has been cancelled with immediate effect.
“Parents and guardians are therefore advised to continue paying the old fees approved in 2015. Please be advised that the deadlines for examination fees payment remain the same,” Minister Mathema said.
A parent who spoke to The Herald, Mr Felix Gurure, lauded the decision saying it had saved many children including his from reducing the number of subjects they planned to sit for this year.
“It’s a good move for us parents because looking at our salaries and what had been pegged, it was now beyond our reach. This was going to affect our children since they were most probably going to reduce the number of subjects they were to sit for,” Mr Gurure said.
Mrs Alice Mamombe, who has two children writing Ordinary Level and Advanced Level examinations this year, also commended the reversal describing it as a relief to many.
“Imagine the thousands I was supposed to part with for my two boys. It was just too much and I was really stressed. To be honest, I am relieved. I will just have to pay the exam fees as soon as possible,” she said.
Another parent who refused to be named said the Government had done well by reverting to the 2015 approved examination fees.
“We were wondering how examinations fees could be pegged higher than school fees. However, we are relieved that at least Government has heard our plight and cancelled the new fees. This is commendable.”
Ambassador Mathema said following publication of the 2020 public examination fees, it had been found necessary to carry out further consultations.
He said new fees would be announced after further consultations with various stakeholders.
The examination fees had been increased to $190 from $15 per subject for Ordinary Level candidates and $351 from $26 for Advanced Level candidates, putting them beyond the reach of many parents.
Foreign candidates were required to fork out $443 to register for an O-Level subject while the amended fees for a subject at O-Level is now pegged at $89.
An additional subject would have cost $228.
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