Chronicle EditorSukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Chronicle Reporter
THE Ministry of Primary Secondary Education has urged parents to report teachers that are fleecing them of their hard-earned money through extra lessons, which remain illegal.
Some cases have been reported to the ministry but in other cases parents protect teachers. This makes it difficult for the ministry to investigate the offences due to lack of witnesses. Teachers that have been reported with parents willing to testify have been disciplined.
Government has warned schools against conducting extra lessons during the holidays as they remain illegal. Some schools are reportedly misleading parents that they have been given the green light to conduct holiday lessons for examination classes.
Director of communication and advocacy in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Mr Taungana Ndoro last week said extra lessons, be it for examination classes or the rest of the classes remain illegal.
Last year teachers and private tutors were said to be cashing in on extra lessons, charging up to US$40 per subject per month, especially for secondary examination classes as parents and guardians became desperate to make up for lost time, which was caused by the Covid-19 lockdown.
In an interview Primary and Secondary Education Deputy Minister Edgar Moyo said they were failing to investigate some of the teachers that were conducting extra lessons as parents were not willing to testify. He said some teachers were working in cahoots with headmasters.
“I would like to urge teachers to be ethical in their conduct and not fleece parents through extra lessons. It’s unfair for parents to pay school fees and then also pay for extra lessons. Some teachers are not serious about teaching pupils in class so that they can create a need for pupils to attend extra lessons. Some teachers only become serious during extra lessons,” he said.
He said in cases where parents have made reports and also testified, the teachers had been charged.
Deputy Minister Moyo said several teachers in Harare have been disciplined over extra lessons. He said parents should not be desperate about their children catching up on their lessons to the extent of paying for illegal lessons.
Online Reporter