Schools can collectively push to criminalise non-payment of fees

SCHOOLS can collectively petition Parliament to criminalise non-payment of fees and levies by parents and guardians as turning away pupils that owe money remains illegal, a Cabinet Minister has said.

Officiating at the 2024 National Association of Secondary Heads (Nash) annual conference in Victoria Falls on Thursday, Primary and Secondary Education Minister, Torerai Moyo, noted with concern that some parents were deliberately not paying school fees and levies hiding behind Government policy, which is premised on protecting the rights of children.

This affects operations of schools, said Minister Moyo.

Schools have complained at various fora that some children owe fees and levies for several terms or years and refer to Government policy when school authorities raise the issue of unpaid fees.

Minister Moyo was responding to issues raised by school heads through their president, Mr Arthur Maphosa, especially over non-payment of school fees, which is crippling schools.

He said parents were mandated to pay fees in full before schools open and school authorities must find strategies of recovering their money as sending pupils home was against Government policy.

“Fees and levies should be paid in full before schools open. Parents should show their responsibility and pay fees. As headmasters you have no right to turn away pupils for not paying and doing so will be violating their rights,” he said.

Minister Moyo said it was unfortunate that some parents were not paying fees taking advantage of the Government policy.
“Those with genuine problems should engage school authorities and come up with payment plans instead of hiding behind Government policy,” he said.

For children who are facing difficulties, Government has provided safety nets through the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM).

“Don’t withhold results. Why don’t you find a way of recovering your money? I told representatives of Naph and Nash to consider petitioning Parliament to criminalise non-payment of school fees and levies,” said Minister Moyo.

The conference ends today and is being held under the theme: “Fighting drug and substance abuse: the head as a frontline leader.”

-@ncubeleon