Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve/Mukudzei Chingwere/Remember Deketeke, Zimpapers Reporters
The Government has issued a firm directive to all schools, reaffirming that the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) currency and all currencies within the approved multicurrency basket remain legal tender for the payment of school fees.
Demanding fees exclusively in United States dollars is illegal and will attract stern disciplinary action against offenders.
Furthermore, all fee conversions must be strictly pegged to the official interbank exchange rate, with schools prohibited from unilaterally setting or using inflated rates for calculations.
This clarification comes ahead of the start of the 2026 academic year, as parents and guardians prepare for the re-opening of schools.
Responding to questions from Zimpapers, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, reiterated the Government position.
It noted that Government’s financial directives from Term Three 2025 remain fully in force, particularly on the critical issue of fees, which has been a source of tension between parents and some schools.
“The Ministry’s directives on financial matters, as detailed in the Term Three 2025 guidelines, remain fully in force and must be strictly adhered to for the 2026 academic year,” said the ministry.The directive entails non-negotiable regulations.
“The Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) and all currencies within the multicurrency system remain legal tender for school fees payments. Schools are prohibited from demanding fees exclusively in United States Dollars (USD). Any such practice is illegal and will attract severe disciplinary action,” it said.
The guidelines follow reported practices where some schools have insisted on USD-only payments, effectively sidelining the local currency.
On the exchange rate, a major point of contention where some institutions have been accused of applying premium rates, the ministry ordered schools to adhere to the official interbank rate.
“The Ministry, in conjunction with the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, reaffirms the directive of 12 March 2025. All fee conversions must be pegged strictly to the official interbank exchange rate,” said the ministry.
“Schools are not permitted to unilaterally set or use inflated exchange rates for fee calculations. Vigorous monitoring and enforcement will be undertaken in collaboration with financial regulatory authorities.”
The First Term for the 2026 academic year commences on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, and is scheduled to end on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.
Meanwhile, the ministry said all schools are expected to have completed all logistical and administrative preparations to ensure a smooth reopening.
It outlined extensive preparatory expectations for school heads, including finalising timetables, teacher deployment, and learner placement by the first day, while urging parents to ensure pupils report equipped and ready.
The ministry has also reiterated its stance on learner protection.
“While fee obligations remain, no child shall be sent home, excluded from lessons, or barred from examinations due to non-payment of fees,” it said.
Schools are, instead, mandated to engage parents for flexible payment plans. The ministry further reaffirmed the free market choice for uniforms and stationery, forbidding schools from compelling purchases from designated suppliers.
“The Ministry remains unwavering in its commitment to providing quality, equitable, and accessible education for all Zimbabwean learners. We count on the co-operation of all stakeholders to ensure a successful First Term,” it said.
Meanwhile, the Government will next week start rolling out the distribution of ICT devices to disadvantaged rural schools, beginning with Manicaland Province, before moving to Matabeleland South, as part of efforts to promote blended teaching and learning, Primary and Secondary Education Minister, Torerai Moyo, said.
Ahead of the school’s opening on January 13, Government is seeking to bridge the gap between those in rural and urban areas and has also warned teachers and school heads to desist from seeking bribes from parents for a place at their schools or to force them to buy school uniforms from designated shops or at schools.
Speaking at the handover of 815 laptops, 708 projectors and 2 112 tablets by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education at the United Nations Warehouse, Minister Moyo said the intervention marked a major milestone in transforming the education sector.
“This ceremony marks a significant milestone in the transformation of Zimbabwe’s education system, particularly for disadvantaged rural schools in Manicaland and Matabeleland South Provinces,” he said.
“The handover of 815 laptops, 708 projectors and 2 112 tablets is not merely a logistical exercise; it is a strategic investment in the future of our children and the nation as a whole.
“This approach aligns with His Excellency the President Mnangagwa’s call for modernisation, innovation and resilience across all sectors of the economy, including education. His leadership continues to champion inclusive development, innovation, modernisation and the transformation of Zimbabwe into an upper-middle-income economy by 2030.”
Minister Moyo said the devices would be deployed across seven districts to deliberately address inequality, supporting 113 disadvantaged, solarised schools in Manicaland; Buhera, Chipinge and Nyanga, and in Matabeleland South; Beitbridge, Gwanda, Matobo and Insiza. Most of the beneficiary schools are in remote and underserved communities.
He said the equipment would strengthen teaching and learning through access to digital content, interactive instruction and offline learning platforms.
“The tablets will enhance learner access to digital content and interactive learning. The laptops will strengthen teacher preparation, assessment, school administration and content development. The projectors will support whole-class digital instruction, ensuring inclusive access to technology-enhanced learning,” he said.
“This is how we democratise access to quality education.”
The rollout comes as the Government continues to advance its e-learning initiative, which has seen the formalisation of the heritage-based curriculum alongside the expansion of telecommunications infrastructure to bridge the rural-urban digital divide.
Unicef acting representative Mr Fiachra Mcasey said the devices would be complemented by teacher training programmes focused on ICT literacy and pedagogical integration, scheduled for February and March 2026.
“To ensure that these efforts translate into measurable improvements, pre- and post-training assessments for both teachers and learners will be conducted to track gains in digital competencies, confidence, and effective use of technology for learning,” he said.
