adminAbel Zhakata Senior Reporter
HUNDREDS of school children were this week sent back home for failing to pay fees in a widespread illegal arm-twisting move that is against a standing Government directive which bars schools from doing the same.From Tuesday when schools opened authorities at most primary and secondary schools in Mutare sent pupils packing insisting that they should go home and summon their parents.
The illegal move apparently has the blessings of senior education officers in the district who are supporting school authorities saying parents should pay for their children’s education.
Mutare district education officer, Mr Nathaniel Machini, concurred that it was illegal to send pupils home for failing to pay fees but said most parents were abusing that olive branch.
He said schools in his district were not necessarily sending pupils home but had ordered them to go home and come back in the company of their parents who should explain themselves regarding the fees arrears.
“Yes, children are being sent home but they are not going indefinitely. We want them back accompanied by their parents who should then tell us how they are going to pay fees. It is not proper for a parent to just send his or her child to school empty handed on opening day when they know very well that they have to pay fees. If parents have problems in paying fees they must accompany their children to school and explain to the authorities how they want to settle the arrears.
“Schools did not enter into agreements with pupils who are just minors but have binding fees payment contracts with parents who are now hiding behind the Government directive. When the affected children bring their parents they will be admitted back into class and the authorities will then sit down and map the way forward with their parents who must make a commitment that they want to pay fees,” he said.
School heads who spoke to The Manica Post said some parents were deliberately ignoring to pay fees knowing well that they will be cushioned by the Government directive.
There were near riots at Sheni Primary School in Dangamvura on Tuesday after irate parents stormed the school demanding audience with the acting head, a Mrs Mawere who had reportedly locked herself in the office.
The militant parents only disbursed following the intervention of Zanu-PF candidate for Dangamvura-Chikanga constituency, Cde Isau Mupfumi, who called for dialogue between the two parties.
In a telephone interview on Wednesday, Mrs Mawere said several children were sent back home to summon their parents.
“We are telling the pupils to bring their parents to the school after which they will visit the School Development Committee offices to agree on a payment plan. When that happens the child goes back into class because the parent would have made a commitment to pay.”
When asked why they did not contact the parents themselves since they have details instead of sending away pupils which is illegal, Mrs Mawere said they had no resources to contact each and every parent.
“For your own information parents are not paying fees and we have more than 1 500 children here. Where do we get the money to use our landline telephone to call all these parents? We will be shooting ourselves in the foot,” she said.
Disturbances erupted at the school after some disgruntled parents whose children were sent home protested. They shouted saying authorities were breaching the law.
Some school heads said they had an option to sue the parents, but the process was costly and time consuming.
“Our fees are as low as $30 per month, but you see a parent going for two years without paying a cent. Yes, we can take them to court, but is it worthwhile to do all those court processes to recover $30?
“How much do you pay in legal fees? A struggling person who is mindful of his or her child’s education must be prepared to come and talk with the school for a payment plan and not just send them empty handed. If these parents are left to do what they want at the end of the day no one will pay fees and that in turn badly affects our education system.”
Parents interviewed at Chikanga Primary School on Tuesday whose children had been sent home said it was wrong for the authorities to turn away the pupils.
They said the opening of the school term had coincided with rental payments and thus the school should have given them a few weeks to pay the fees.
“Some of our schools are being run by cruel people who fail to comprehend the economic challenges facing the country. We have just paid rentals and we are struggling to get fees. We need time to look for money,” said one parent, who declined to be named.
The Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Dr Lazarus Dokora, has reiterated that schools are not allowed to bar children from class for non-payment of fees.
He said school fees were paid by the parents and not by the child and insisted that school heads and parents should discuss the issue of fees and leave the child out of this issue.
He said basic education was compulsory as enshrined in the Constitution which states that education must be accessed by all children of Zimbabwe.
Online Reporter