ARTUZ Urges Zimbabweans To Stage Bus Stop Protests Every Monday Demanding Free Education

The president of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ), Obert Masaraure, has called on Zimbabweans to stage bus stop protests every Monday, demanding free education. He argues that the gazetted tuition fees are retrogressive and unconstitutional. He said every citizen and permanent resident of Zimbabwe has the right to basic state-funded education, as stated in the constitution. He called on Zimbabweans to stage bus stop protests every Monday, demanding free education.

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, led by Minister Torerayi Moyo, recently announced the fees for government schools, ranging from $5 to $20 per term, depending on the school’s location and density. The fees are specified in US dollars, but parents and guardians are allowed to pay in the local currency at the prevailing exchange rate on the payment date. Some parents argue that the economic situation makes it unfair to increase tuition fees, and they believe the government should have considered the current hardships faced by families. Tatenda Chekai, a parent with a child at Chancellor Junior Primary School in Mutare, spoke to NewsDay:

We have since paid the tuition fees. There is nothing we can do because at the end of the day it is my child who will be disadvantaged.

It is, however, unfair for the government to increase the tuition fees because of the current economic situation. The increase is retrogressive and this is not expected from our government.

Concerns have been raised about the burden of high taxes and levies, which were introduced in the 2024 budget, in addition to the increased tuition fees. Parents fear these measures will make their lives more difficult, especially for those living in rural areas affected by challenging weather conditions.

The government previously stated that implementing free education would take time. Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube explained that to fully transition to free education, the government needs to carefully assess the requirements, identify any gaps, and plan and implement activities that will ensure education access for every child. He emphasized that this process may take time, but the government is already taking significant steps to improve education access.

In 2020, President Emmerson Mnangagwa signed the Education Amendment Act into law. This law mandates the State to provide free basic education as stipulated in section 27 of the Constitution. This means that the government is legally obligated to ensure that every child has access to basic education without cost. Section 27 reads:

The State must take all practical measures to promote (a) free compulsory basic education for children…

For years, the government has been promising free basic education but has failed to implement the policy.

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