Chronicle Editor
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Chronicle Reporter
PRIVATE schools that increased fees without Government approval must immediately reverse the increase and reimburse parents, a Cabinet Minister has said.
Speaking recently in Parliament, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Dr Evelyn Ndlovu said the Government would soon descend heavily on schools that fail to comply.
“The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education would like to advise its valued stakeholders that non-Government schools who are increasing fees and charging levies without consulting parents or getting permission from the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, will attract severe sanctions. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education therefore warns all responsible authorities to ensure they charge appropriate fees and levies,” she said.
“Section 21 of the Education Act Chapter 25.04 as amended provides that: No responsible authority shall charge any fee or levy; increase any fee or levy in respect of any pupil attending a non-Government school unless the fee or levy or increase therein, as the case may be, has been approved by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.”
The Act further states that the Permanent Secretary shall not approve any increase of fees or levies sought in respect of the next term of the non-Government school concerned unless; the increase of such fees or levies are justified by reference to some basic other than the application of the Consumer Price Index; the proposal to increase fees or levies has been approved by the majority of the parents at a meeting of the school parents’ assembly attended by not less than 20 percent of the parents.
Dr Ndlovu said according to the Act, any fees and levies charged by all non-Government schools should be approved by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and non-compliance with this law is a criminal offence as provided for in terms of Section 21(6).
She said any person who contravenes this section or fails to comply with any notice in terms of Subsection 5 shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine equivalent to the excess amount charged or imprisonment for a period not less than three months or both such fine or such imprisonment.
“It is therefore imperative that responsible authorities follow proper procedures highlighted above in increasing fees and levies. Schools that had charged unapproved fees or levies should revert to the approved fees and levies and reimburse parents accordingly,” said Dr Ndlovu.
She said another illegal practice that the Ministry was dealing with is the insistence of payment of fees arrears before registration for public examinations which may result in some candidates missing the examination deadline.
Dr Ndlovu urged various stakeholders to report schools that were violating Government policy.
She said such schools were stalling Government’s efforts to provide quality, relevant, inclusive, equitable and wholesome education for all Zimbabweans.
Dr Ndlovu said District Schools Inspectors did not have means to move around schools and supervise those that were defying Government policies hence the need for stakeholders to make reports.
She said the Ministry was however trying its best to oversee and supervise schools. – @DubeMatutu.
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