A NUMBER of boarding schools have tabled proposals to
increase school fees and related levies to above $1 000 next term, creating
fresh headaches for parents, some already struggling to pay amounts for this
term.
The schools have over the weeks been holding Annual General
Meetings where they have told parents that because of the prevailing economic
situation which has seen prices of goods going up, parents should be prepared
to pay the new fees next term.
Sunday News established that most of the schools, apart
from notifying the parents, have also written to the Ministry of Primary and
Secondary Education seeking approval for the new fees. A survey by Sunday News
among some of the schools in the region revealed that the institutions would be
charging plus or minus $1 000 for next term.
In Matabeleland South, Matopo High School has proposed that
school fees will go up by more than 100 percent next term from $600 to $1 300.
Another school, Mtshabezi High School has proposed $1 300 while Regina Mundi High School
in the Midlands has proposed $1 400.
Sacred Heart Primary School in Esigodini has told parents
to budget $1 000 for the second term up from $600.
Parents with children at John Tallach and Marist Brothers
in Dete said they have been told that next term they will fork out $920 and
$918 per term.
Another school, Eunor Guti Academy in Kingsdale Bulawayo
has advised parents that they would pay $1 300 for their second term. Green
Gables High School in the outskirts of Bulawayo said it will increase fees to
$978 from $735. Empandeni Girls High School in Mangwe District has increased
fees from $440 to $780 for the coming term. Other schools such as Tennyson
Hlabangana which was charging $500 have written letters to parents for a
meeting to discuss the new fees structure.
It has also emerged that some schools have in fact demanded
that parents pay top up fees this term while new structures for next term are
still being discussed. One such school is Magama Secondary School in Tsholotsho
which is now demanding parents to pay an additional $150 for this term. The new
development come as a blow to most parents whose incomes have remained stagnant
despite the increase.
“If you look, most people who were sending children to
these boarding schools are civil servants who are still earning just around
$500 a month, how on earth are they going to afford these fees considering they
also have other needs such as food and transport,” said a parent whose daughter
is at Matopo High School.
Another parent said he has two children who are boarders and
the only way out is to withdraw them from boarding.
“The best is to remove my girls from their school because I
will need more than $3 500 to cater for their needs each term which is not
feasible as we do not earn that much. The problem with most boarding schools is
that they also do not accept part payments and I wonder how the parents will
manage,” said another parent.
In an interview, Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary
Education Cde Edgar Moyo confirmed that a number of schools have written to the
ministry seeking to adjust their fees for next term.
“I don’t have the total number of schools that applied for
an increase off hand but the Permanent Secretary can furnish you with the
figures. However, schools must provide parents with proof that the ministry has
indeed approved the school fees increase for the coming term otherwise failure
to do so will be illegal and
unacceptable,” he said.
Deputy Minister Moyo said no parent should pay fees that
have not been approved, saying the ministry does not turn down the need to
increase fees but it should be done procedurally. Deputy Minister Moyo said
there are fears that local day schools may be inundated with pupils who may
transfer from boarding schools.
“Yes, there is that possibility that students will transfer
and there will be pressure on day schools in the country but let us wait and
see, if they do transfer we will map a way forward,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Government has warned schools that are also
demanding foreign currency from candidates to register for the Zimbabwe Schools
Examination Council (Zimsec) examinations. In an interview, Primary and
Secondary Education Minister Professor Paul Mavima said Zimsec does not charge
examination fees in foreign currency and therefore no school including private
colleges should demand foreign currency.
“Zimsec does not charge in foreign currency. The schools
that charge in foreign currency are those writing Cambridge examinations.
Zimsec itself is not charging US dollars so why would people be charged in
foreign currency? This applies even to private schools writing Zimsec,” he
said.
Prof Mavima said all candidates that are being charged
examination fees in foreign currency should approach the ministry.
In one of the notices seen by this publication at one of
the schools, the private college is demanding US$20.
However, after a few days the college changed to US$10 and
RTGS$15 as examination fees for all science subjects. According to a parent who
declined to be named, the school was not registering candidates who were
intending to pay using RTGS dollars.
“The school first wanted US$20 for registering for any
Science subject before changing to US$10 and RTGS$15. I have already paid the
foreign currency that the school wants but I feel it’s not fair for the school
to demand foreign currency,” said a disgruntled parent. Efforts to get a
comment from the private college were futile. Sunday News
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