Sunday News
17 January 2010
Sunday News Reporters
SOME schools are reportedly turning away children for not paying school fees in contravention of a Government directive.
A survey conducted by the Sunday News around Bulawayo last week revealed that some children were loitering outside school premises while others were in class.
Parents and guardians said they were failing to raise the fees because they alleged school authorities were, in some cases, charging way above Government stipulated fees.
Early this month, the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Senator David Coltart announced that Government would not be increasing tuition fees.
He said this came after the realisation that most parents failed to pay fees last year.
Government last year proposed that primary schoolchildren pay US$5 while those at secondary were to pay US$10 per term.
Children attending primary schools in low-density suburbs are expected to pay US$10 while those at secondary level fork out US$20 per term.
Nkulumane Primary in Mpopoma is reportedly charging fees ranging between US$5 and US$45, amounts that have sparked anger among parents who are now confused as they are no longer sure of the correct amount.
“I was shocked to see my child returning in the morning from school on opening day telling me that she had to pay US$35 for fees yet last year we were paying US$5 which was gazetted by Government,’’ said one parent.
A concerned Mahatshula resident told this paper that he was driving to his home from the city centre when he saw a young boy in school uniform, walking alone along the railway line, sucking his fore finger.
“I was driving to my place at around 11am when I saw the boy walking alone crossing the railway line. He looked so vulnerable, sucking his tiny finger and what puzzled me was I could not see anyone accompanying him. I stopped my car and asked the boy where he was going alone. He told me he had been turned away from school. I thought to myself what calibre of teachers do we have in society if they can send a young boy home without any patron. If I was not a good man I would have kidnapped him,’’ he said.
Minister Coltart said the law and policy regarding fees had not changed.
“Let me restate the law, no school shall turn away pupils for failing to pay fees. That does not change,’’ he said.
Senator Coltart advised that parents should report to their respective provincial education directors, any schools that turned away students for failing to pay fees.
He, however, said the ministry would not take action against any school authority based on reports in the Press.
“Parents should report schools to the responsible authorities then the ministry can take action. At the moment I have not received any complaints as yet,’’ said the education minister.
Senator Coltart also urged parents to make sure that their children go to school because some skip school.
In a recent development, a school head who declined to be named for fear of victimisation, said his school had received a circular from the Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (ZIMTA) stating that teachers were not “happy’’ with the recent salary negotiations and the association was requesting teachers to be on go-slow.
However, ZIMTA president, Mrs Tendai Chikowore said the association never sent out such a circular.
“We did not issue out anything of the sort. Teachers will continue going to work until we get feedback from the Government,’’ she said.
The ZIMTA president said they would wait for the 14 days they agreed to with the Government, to elapse.
Mahatshula Primary School headmaster, Mr Mankani Moyo, said his school had not turned away children for not paying fees.
He said children have a habit of bunking school otherwise the school is teaching everyone.
“We have not even discussed the fee structure for the term. Normally we encourage parents to make arrangements with the school on how they would pay the fees,’’ said the school head.
The headmaster of Milton High, Mr Misheck Ngwenya, said the school had not turned away any students.
“Students are paying as they come, we allow them to pay in instalments,’’ he said. However, he encouraged parents to pay outstanding fees so that the school can operate. He said most parents and guardians could not afford to pay the required fees.
The deputy provincial education director for Bulawayo, Mr Reuben Ndlovu, said schools were told in a meeting held with their respective District Education Officers (DEOs) that they should abide by the Government directive.
Parents urged the ministry to urgently intervene in the matter to prevent a repetition of last year’s situation.