The Government has issued a stern warning to school authorities who deny learners access to education due to non-payment of school fees, stating that such practices violate children’s constitutional rights.
Primary and Secondary Education Minister, Honourable Torerai Moyo, made the remarks during an engagement with school heads from Mashonaland West Province held at Jameson High School in Kadoma this Wednesday.
The meeting focused on administrative challenges faced by schools, particularly the issue of unpaid fees.
“We are facing challenges regarding non-payment of school fees yet the law restricts us from sending owing students home or to withhold their results,” a school head said.
“While we appreciate the efforts being made towards ensuring that rural schools are capacitated we kindly appeal for intensified training workshops especially on the implementation of projects so that no place lags behind,” another school head added.
“As school heads, we continue to appeal to the Ministry and government at large to put up effective measures that ensure compliance to payment of school fees and levies. We have no power to deal with defaulting parents as all possible measures are illegal,” a school head added.
In an interview on the sidelines of the meeting held at Jameson High School in Kadoma, Minister Moyo implored parents to pay their children’s school fees before a new term begins, while school authorities were cautioned against turning off pupils from schools.
“As government, we continue to encourage parents to pay school fees for their children before or on the opening day. It is illegal for schools to chase away pupils. As a government, we will decisively deal with school heads who violate learners’ rights. Schools are also warned against withholding exam results,” he said
Schools were encouraged to initiate income-generating projects to fund additional expenditures.
“Schools should be creative and come up with ideas that create extra income to cover expenses. However, we continue to receive reports of schools that are forcing parents to buy uniforms exclusively from them.
That is illegal and should stop. Schools should have competitive prices that are informed by market prices,” Honourable Moyo said.
Meanwhile, it emerged government is finalising the Teachers Professional Council Bill which among other benefits, will address teachers’ job evaluation and matching of grades against experience and qualifications.
