Sunday Mail
By Morris Mkwate
3 May 2009
THE Government intends to substantially reduce this year’s second term tuition fees at State-run schools across the country to hedge parents from high education costs.
In an interview last Thursday, the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, Senator David Coltart, said his ministry took the decision after it became apparent that most parents could not afford the fees that Government set last term.
Mr Coltart said he would announce the new figures tomorrow after President Mugabe, Prime Minister Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Mutambara had considered the initiative. The second school term begins on Tuesday.
“I cannot divulge the figures at the moment because the recommendations are going to the three principals on Monday. However, what we want is a substantial cut,” he said.
Last term, the Government set tuition charges for its schools in foreign currency in line with the multi-currency transaction system, which was introduced in February this year.
Fees for primary schools in low-density and high-density areas were slated at US$150 and US$20 respectively while those for secondary schools in low-density suburbs ranged from US$200 to US$280.
Students attending secondary school in high-density areas were expected to pay between US$100 and US$180 while those in rural areas were to fork out between US$50 and US$80.
However, most parents could not raise the amounts in lump sums and could still not meet the charges even after authorities permitted them to stagger the payments.
Mr Coltart said a survey by the Education Advisory Board and meetings with school parent boards had corroborated that “a vast majority” of parents could not afford the fees.
He said the Cabinet Ministerial Economic Co-ordinating Committee subsequently met on Wednesday last week and resolved that the fees should be reviewed downwards.
If the fees were slashed, this would mean funds required for the daily running of the schools would be drawn from school development levies.
“When fees were set in March, the assumption was we would get balance of payments support to kickstart the economy. But this has not materialised; so parents are worse off than before,” he said.
“The basis of our original costing, which justified the fees, is subject to review. Since March, I have been inquiring on the cost of educational material and I believe that we can make some substantial cuts.
“The fees that will be announced on Monday (tomorrow) are an interim measure, which is designed to ensure more children are in school. We will revert to something substantive when we secure sufficient funds to support the schools.”
Meanwhile, fees for most private and mission schools are expected to remain unchanged, as only a few have applied to the ministry for upward reviews.