adminOswell Moyo Chronicle Reporter
Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Professor Paul Mavhima, has warned school heads against sending children home over non-payment of school fees ahead of the opening of schools tomorrow.Prof Mavhima told The Chronicle recently that the government will be monitoring schools to ensure that children whose parents fail to pay fees on time are not kicked out of school.
He said: “It remains a government position that school heads shouldn’t send children home over the issue of school fees. It’s the right of every child to access education regardless of one’s social status. Therefore, children shouldn’t be sent away for non-payment of school fees,” he said.
Prof Mavhima said school heads were supposed to engage community leaders such as Members of the House of Assembly, councillors and School Development Committee executives over the issue of fees.
He said sending children home was a violation of their rights.
The Deputy Minister said parents should bear with the school heads and avoid sending children to boarding schools without paying school fees.
“Parents must be responsible and play a role in affirming the right of education for their children. How can you send your child to a boarding school when you haven’t paid school fees? Where will the school get food for your child from?” he said.
Prof Mavhima also warned schools against increasing school fees without approval from the Ministry amid reports that some schools have already increased fees.
“No school is allowed to increase school fees without approval from the Ministry. School heads know the procedure that has to be followed if they want to increase fees. At the moment we’ve not received reports of schools that have increased fees,” he said.
A snap survey conducted by The Chronicle showed that most private schools have increased fees.
Sibanesezwe Primary School in Bulawayo’s Romney Park suburb has increased fees from $500 to $600.
In a letter, a copy of which is with The Chronicle, Sibanesezwe Primary School headmistress only identified as H Vorster advised parents who had no money to pay fees to borrow from banks and other financial institutions.
“Please be advised that the school will no longer accept part payments for fees with effect from January 2015. We’ve entered into an agreement with Educate (Pvt Ltd) situated at Ascot Bulawayo. You are advised that from January 2015 only fully paid up pupils will be accepted into class and you should approach Educate as an alternative means of full payment. Obviously, only those whose fees for 2014 with the school are fully paid will be accepted into the scheme. Only children with clearance certificates will be admitted into the school at the start of the term. Please be guided accordingly,” reads part of the circular sent to parents.
A disgruntled parent who requested anonymity for fear her child could be victimised, said private schools were increasing school fees willy-nilly without consulting parents.
She said the private schools were advising them to borrow money from financial institutions.
“How can they increase school fees and then advise us to borrow money from a financial institution recommended by the same school?
“This is a strategy meant to benefit this particular financial institution,” she said.
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Bongani Ndlovu