Online Reporter
Wallace Ruzvidzo
Herald Reporter
PRIMARY and Secondary Education Minister Torerai Moyo says he will personally visit schools nationwide to ensure the smooth reopening this week.
The return to learning when a new term begins is usually riddled with problems over fee payments and currency use, failure by teachers to report for duty and the sending away of learners for non payment of fees.
Minister Moyo told The Herald yesterday that his visit to schools will be for monitoring as part of the Government’s various actions and oversight mechanisms.
Current indications, he added, were that everything was on track for the resumption of classes.
“I will be moving around schools across the country to ensure that everything is in order and that there is compliance in the schools.
“Everything is on course for the opening of schools on Tuesday,” he said.
The minister said teachers had already concluded the overall planning and organisation of the units of study for their pupils. “Our teachers have already done scheming in anticipation of the opening of schools . . . and current indications are that everything is in order,” he said.
Minister Moyo said the ministry would also monitor the safety of boarding school students as they travel to their respective schools across the country today.
“We will be witnessing borders travelling to schools tomorrow (Monday) then on Tuesday all schools will open,” said the minister.
In terms of financial compliance, schools were directed to align their fees structures with interbank rates and avoid USD exclusivity.
“The Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) remains a legal tender for school transactions, alongside other currencies in the multi-currency basket. Parents/guardians may pay fees in any currency of choice (ZiG, USD, etc).
“Schools must not demand exclusive USD payments, and non-compliance will result in disciplinary action,” said the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education on Friday.
“Schools must strictly adhere to the official interbank rate for fee conversions. Unilateral rate-setting is prohibited, and violations will be escalated to monetary regulatory authorities,” the ministry said.
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) directed that all business entities, schools included, should refrain from setting their own exchange rates.
“The exchange rate that is determined in the foreign exchange market by banks is the one that should be used to guide the pricing of all other goods and services in the economy.
“Therefore, no other business entity (schools included) outside the interbank market should determine the exchange rate,” said the central bank on March 12.
In respect of the upcoming June examinations, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education ordered schools to see through the seamless registration of candidates.
“Administrators are directed to assist all eligible candidates to register without delay up until the closing date for the Zimsec examinations mop-up registration exercise, which is 16 May 2025,” said the ministry.
