Govt warns schools over fees increases

Talent Gore

Schools are opening on Tuesday next week and over the past few weeks some administrations have increased fees by wide margins.

This has alarmed parents and guardians who are hard-pressed financially amid the prevailing economic challenges.

The Government has stepped in, making it clear early this week that it had not approved any requests for fees increases, and schools have been warned against doing so ahead of opening day next week.

Primary and Secondary Education Minister Cain Mathema said the Government has not approved any increases in school fees.

“I have heard that you are complaining that school fees have been increased. We haven’t approved any fees hikes. No Government schools have increased school fees, and Government has not approved any fees hike,” he said.

Minister Mathema said school heads who hike fees without authorisation risk losing their jobs.

“We are not playing on this one. Any school heads who hike fees without authorisation will be fired and we are very serious on this issue,” he said.

He urged the public to comply with Government policy and embrace the local currency. “People should follow the legal monetary policies and stop demanding payment of school fees in foreign currency,” Minister Mathema said.

“We all should respect our local currency and stop this behaviour of increasing prices of basic commodities and school fees at will. It is not right and it should stop immediately.”

Minister Mathema said his ministry was working with the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement to ensure that schools use unused school land for farming.

“I have given a directive to all school heads and I want to know how much land each school has so that they use that land for agricultural purposes,” he said.

“We have already talked about it with the Minister of Agriculture and he will assist us in every way possible. We also encourage schools to make use of the land and build factories whereby they will be able to manufacture their own uniforms. We want each school to be able to produce its own school uniforms so that parents won’t be charged exorbitant prices by retailers.”