Schools turn away pupils

A snap survey conducted by Chronicle yesterday morning established that scores of pupils were turned away to remind their parents to pay fees.
In some schools, pupils were required to produce receipts before being admitted into class.
Council schools were reportedly sending away pupils if their parents did not complete the payment contract forms, where they are supposed to specify when and how they will pay the fees.

By 10am pupils from Milton High School had swarmed the city centre after they were turned away over what school authorities said were admission fees.
Parents with pupils in boarding and day schools outside Bulawayo also expressed concern that their children were being turned away over fees.
Others alleged that their children were chased away from the buses that transport them before the opening day.

“Our children are denied entrance because the school is demanding payment first,” said a parent from Alan Redfern Primary in Plumtree.
Contacted for comment, Milton High School head Mr Misheck Ngwenya denied pupils were turned away.
“We did not turn pupils away. In fact, we had written a letter to parents advising them to pay an admission fee of $20, which some refer to as tuition fee. This is done at the beginning of each year,” he said.

“What we were doing today was just a verification exercise. We do not turn away pupils for fees or levies but parents                       make payment plans. By tomorrow everything would be         settled.”
Meanwhile, Bulawayo provincial education director Mr Dan Moyo has threatened unspecified action against schools that turn away pupils over fees.
“We have been very clear on that issue, that no school should send pupils back home for non payment of fees.

“I think those you are talking about were trying to encourage them to pay. I wish we could have the names of the schools that are doing that so we could act,” said Mr Moyo without specifying any action to be taken against schools that defy the Government order.

Acting Matabeleland North provincial education director Mr Jabulani Mpofu said the term began smoothly with teachers reporting for duty as expected.
“We have conducted a survey from the seven districts in the province and a report has been sent to Harare. Teachers reported for duty but we did not have 100 percent attendance by pupils as some of them were still travelling,” said Mr Mpofu.

At the weekend, the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, Senator David Coltart, announced that Government has finished working on new education regulations that will ensure compliance with existing procedures in raising fees or levies in schools.