THE Government will soon penalise schools that are charging
parents “extortionate fees” in local currency while demanding lower foreign
currency amounts that do not correspond with the country’s Reserve Bank of
Zimbabwe (RBZ) auction rate.
Schools in the country are preparing for reopening, with
Cambridge exam classes expected to begin tomorrow while Zimsec examination
classes will reopen on 28 September. Schools were closed late in March ahead of
the initial 21-day national lockdown, but reopened briefly for June
examinations.
The Government’s warning comes amid revelations that some
private schools are charging parents twice as much at the auction rate what
they levy in foreign currency, as they try to force parents into paying their
children’s fees in forex. According to last week’s auction, the Zimbabwe dollar
is trading at $82,69 per US$1.
At Christian Brothers College (CBC) in Bulawayo, parents
are expected to pay either US$800 in cash or the equivalent of US$1 000 at the
bank auction rate. Parents have an option of paying in monthly instalments,
with the first one totalling US$300 then US$250 for three months using the bank
auction rate for the next three months.
At Petra College Senior, parents are expected to fork out
US$775 in cash or the equivalent of US$1 400 at the RBZ auction rate. At Petra
Junior, parents will pay US$500 in cash or the equivalent of US$900. Parents
with children in the Early Childhood Development (ECD) will either pay US$450
in cash or the equivalent of US$800 at the auction bank rate.
“The fee is not for a term but for the remainder of the
year, which is five months and is to maintain service and includes a return to
school if that is possible,” the school said in a notice to parents.
Masiyephambili Primary School has pegged its fees at US$500
or $41 500, with the school listing its major cost drivers as staff salaries,
Covid-19 PPE and data for E-learning.
George Silundika High School in Nyamandlovu has set its
fees at $27 000, although the school noted that the figure awaits the approval
of the Provincial Education Director. Additionally, Form Four and Upper Sixth
pupils are also expected to pay $4 960 and $5 760 respectively.
O-level students at David Livingstone in Ntabazinduna are
expected to pay US$300 or the local currency equivalent while “A” Level
students will fork out US$350. A science levy of US$10 in addition to transport
costs of US$2 will also be charged.
At Coghlan Primary School in Bulawayo, parents will pay
$528.
Speaking to Sunday News yesterday, Primary and Secondary
Education Deputy Minister Cde Edgar Moyo said schools that were inflating their
fees in local currency will be sanctioned.
“The first things that we should note is that as a country
we have currency laws that govern how we should operate in all spheres of life.
As a ministry we don’t expect schools to set their own rate which is contrary
to what has been set by the Reserve Bank. That would be breaking the law and if
there are schools that are doing that then parents should come forward and
report those schools to the relevant monetary and law enforcement authorities,”
Deputy Minister Moyo said.
Deputy Minister Moyo said although the operations of private
schools were not under the direct control of the ministry, they were still
liable for penalties if they broke the country’s laws. Deputy Minister Moyo
said by creating their own rate, schools were indulging currency distortions
that could lead the country on the path to economic chaos. Sunday Mail
0 comments:
Post a Comment