Govt Warns "Unscrupulous School Heads"
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has warned school heads who continue to send away learners for non-payment of school fees that they risk disciplinary action being taken against them.
This follows reports that some schools are not allowing learners to attend lessons over unpaid fees while some were reportedly insisting that parents should buy uniforms from the school.
In an interview with State media, the Provincial Education Director for Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, Bernard Mazambane, said:
I was very furious about that when we had our National Association of Primary Heads (NAPH) meeting about two days ago.
These are unscrupulous school heads, otherwise, the regulation is clear and straightforward, but in every group of people, you will find someone with mischief.
But we are sending the same message to their District Schools Inspectors that they must tell their school heads that it is not the child who is paying school fees but the parent.
Mazambane, however, urged parents and guardians to also play their part in school fees payment. He said:
On the payment of fees, why can’t parents also pay so that children are not affected, we have to look at two sides of the coin.
Last week the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education released a statement saying parents were obligated to pay approved school fees and levies as required by the school for them to meet their operational costs and overheads.
It also emphasized that charging fees exclusively in foreign currency is illegal.
More:Â Pindula News