GOVERNMENT has issued a warning to private schools that are
demanding fees for the second term while stressing that only President
Mnangagwa will guide the nation on the reopening of schools.
Also, although it is not opposed to online learning,
Government has not yet allowed any school to pursue that route.
The pronouncement comes at a time some private schools have
started demanding increased fees for the second term while pursuing online
learning, should schools not open as previously scheduled next week.
Due to the national lockdown, many parents and guardians
have lost their income or are receiving a fraction of their salaries, and are
likely to face challenges raising some of the huge amounts being demanded by
private schools.
According to the 2020 calendar, schools were expected to
open on Tuesday next week.
For the first term, schools were supposed to close on April
2 but due to the threat of Covid-19, President Mnangagwa ordered that they
close on March 24 to prevent the spread of the virus.
The President subsequently placed the country on a three-week
national lockdown on March 30 which was extended to May 3, after which
Government will decide on the way forward.
Some private schools have since started demanding fees for
the second term even giving timelines when parents and guardians should make
the payments.
In Bulawayo, institutions such as Petra and Whitestone high
schools have told parents to make second term fees payments in the next two
weeks.
At Whitestone, parents and guardians have been told to pay
fees deposit ranging from $16 000 to $27 000 by May 8.
Petra College pegged deposit at $21 000 for senior pupils
and $13 780 for the juniors which is subject to adjustment when Government
makes the announcement on schools’ opening.
The schools are also charging fees in foreign currency but
did not disclose the amounts in their newsletters, saying parents and guardians
can call for forex fee structures and get discounts.
In a newsletter to parents, Petra College said the deposit
will enable the school to continue providing a “service and meeting normal
obligations.”
“Please pay by the 15th May. Once we have official
information from Ministry of Education regarding the re-opening of the schools,
we will be able to calculate the budget required and agree any additional fee
requirements for the term,” read the communication.
The school said it was highly unlikely that normal schools
opening will take place next week and they were exploring e-learning platforms.
“Closed schools mean that we will be delivering learning
remotely and via Google classroom predominantly. In readiness for this
eventuality you will soon be receiving an email with details of how to access
our online classrooms. The plan for each age group will vary but will commence
on 5th May: From Grade 4 to Upper 6 each pupil will have their own Petra email
address to sign into their class, this email is only for access to the
classroom with the teacher,” reads the letter.
Whitestone School told parents that the Conference of Heads
of Independent Schools in Zimbabwe (CHISZ) took a decision to resume the
school’s calendar next week.
“All CHISZ schools have decided to start educating children
as per the normal calendar so as to not fall too far behind. Online teaching is
the only option to stay Covid-19 free, yet give the children the best education
under the circumstances,” reads the school’s communication.
Yesterday, Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Cain
Mathema said schools that increase fees without approval risk being
deregistered for extortion.
Speaking during the launch of the Schools’ Covid-19 Response
programme at Chikangwe High School in Mashonaland West, Minister Mathema said
errant schools will be dealt with.
“We are now having some schools which are deviating from
their mandate and charging fees that are unapproved and are akin to extortion.
All schools, without exception, must follow the procedures for seeking the
approval for fee increases,” said the Minister.
“No increase will be permitted that is effected outside the
laid down procedures which require the written approval of the Secretary for
Primary and Secondary Education. Schools that continue to flout the regulations
stand warned; the Ministry will not hesitate to deregister schools that purport
to be educational institutions and yet indulge in unlawful activities.”
Primary and Secondary Education spokesperson Mr Patrick
Zumbo said Government has not made any decision as to when schools should open
and learning institutions should wait until a pronouncement is made.
Mr Zumbo said Government supports online learning but
nothing has been approved yet for schools.
“Schools should not be demanding fees now. Leaners are at
home, what are they demanding the fees for? They can’t be talking about fees as
authorities are saying schools may not open soon.
“There hasn’t been any date that has been approved for
schools opening. We can only talk about schools when its safe as guided by the
health officials. We have not received any request for schools opening even for
online lessons. Any school that intends to do so should apply through the Ministry
of Primary and Secondary Education Permanent Secretary (Mrs Tumisang Thabela),”
said Mr Zumbo.
He said the Ministry was not against online teaching of
learners, but this should only be done in within confines of the law.
Primary and Secondary Education Parliamentary Portfolio
Committee Chairperson Ms Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga said since schools
were closed through a Presidential declaration, it is only the President who
can make a call on when schools will reopen.
She, however, said opening of schools should be guided by
science so as to save lives.
Ms Misihairabwi-Mushonga said her committee is concerned
that the actions by private schools seem to be driven by the need to make
profit.
“We are worried by actions of the private players in this
field who seem to be driven by profit only. Every school in this country is
under the supervision of a ministry hence no institution should be issuing
anything son chool fees or otherwise until the President through the ministry
has given direction. We therefore will be asking the ministry to play its
supervisory role and ensure sanity prevails,” she said.
A parent with children at one of the mentioned schools, who
spoke on condition of anonymity said the learning institutions were making
outrageous demands while the country is on lockdown.
“We are on lockdown where do some of us get the money? And
asking that much for online teaching is just too much. It’s not like the school
gives me an I-pad or buys data for me,” said one of the parents.
The National Association of Secondary School Heads said the
opening of schools must be influenced by health experts.
“Even if the experts were to give the greenlight, still the
opening of schools should be gradual or done in phases starting with senior
learners who can take care of themselves and who are also due to write
examinations,” the association said. Chronicle
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