Online Reporter
Amos Mpofu
THE Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MoPSE) has expressed satisfaction with the smooth opening of schools for the new term today, despite a few isolated incidents in which some schools reportedly sent pupils home over non-payment of fees.
The ministry said the matter was swiftly addressed before it could disrupt learning.
Speaking to Zimpapers, the Director of Communications and Advocacy for the ministry, Mr Taungana Ndoro, said the payment of school fees is a contractual matter between parents and schools and should never interfere with a child’s right to education.
“The opening of schools today went smoothly, apart from a few cases that were reported and promptly resolved, where some schools had sent children home for non-payment of fees. The current policy position regarding school fees is that fees payment has nothing to do with the child, as it is a contractual arrangement between the parent and the school.
“Sending children home for non-payment of fees negatively affects their learning and academic competitiveness. We immediately alerted district offices overseeing the affected schools to intervene, and the matter was successfully resolved,” he said.
Mr Ndoro also said the ministry expects all schools to continue implementing digital teaching and learning methods in line with global educational trends and the country’s drive towards digital transformation.
“Schools are encouraged to continue implementing digital transformation tools designed to enhance and simplify the teaching and learning process. Reliable internet connectivity in schools is now a necessity to support modern education systems.
“This is why His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa, recently donated Starlink kits, which were subsequently distributed to schools across the country.
“For schools facing shortages of textbooks, we encourage them to make effective use of internet resources and other digital learning tools to support teaching and learning,” said Mr Ndoro.
