adminZimbabwe’s inflation is hovering at about five percent and it is therefore mind boggling how authorities came up with such outrageous percentage increases.
There is absolutely no justification for fees increases by such margins. In which world are these school authorities living? It is a fact that the Zimbabwean economy is not performing to expectations and as such many companies continue to close while others are scaling down production.
Are the school authorities oblivious to the situation on the ground or they simply do not care about the plight of parents, many of whom are out of employment? What we need to point out from the onset is that Government should not allow a situation whereby its policies are openly defied as seems to be the case now.
School authorities have realised that Government has over the years been making empty threats hence many of them are increasing fees and levies without following the laid down procedures such as seeking government approval.
Schools are fast becoming a preserve of the rich which is against government policy but a policy serves no purpose if it can be defied with impunity.
The fact that school authorities continue to defy a government directive shows that whatever punishment is being meted against the offending authorities is not deterrent enough.
Government should therefore revisit the issue of punishment with a view to coming up with a punishment that is deterrent. School authorities cannot be allowed to get away with murder by denying Zimbabweans their right to education through charging exorbitant fees.
It is Government’s responsibility to ensure that fees remain affordable to the majority of people. Many parents are now out of employment and the school authorities’ response to the reality on the ground was supposed to be the revision of school fees and levies downwards.
At many of the schools there is no construction going on as the schools now have adequate buildings. The bulk of the levy that parents are made to pay is now for luxuries such as buying vehicles, paying teachers’ incentives and allowances for School Development Associations executive members.
School fees are being equally abused as most schools now have adequate textbooks following the exercise jointly funded by Government and donors to provide books to both primary and secondary schools. Government should revisit the issue of the 20 percent of parents endorsing school fees and levies increases because the system is being manipulated by school authorities.
It is an open secret that parents whose fees are paid by companies and a few well-to-do are invited to these meetings to endorse the school authorities’ proposals resulting in the suffering of the majority of parents.
The Government should peg levels of fees based on the affordability of parents in a given catchment area. It is not too late for Government to intervene and order the schools that have increased fees for next year to revert to last term’s fees.
Parents are already struggling to raise money for school fees and to expect them to afford increased fees and levies is just being insensitive.
Everybody is being asked to tighten their belt until the situation improves and the school authorities cannot be an exception. We want to implore the Government to stamp its authority and declare the increases effected by schools illegal.
The Government has made noise in the past but now it’s time to act and protect parents from being ripped off by school authorities who have turned schools into business enterprises.
Zimbabwean children should continue to enjoy their right to education and this is only possible if Government ensures fees and levies remain affordable to the majority of people.
Online Reporter