SEVERAL boarding schools have increased fees for next term
by an average of 100 percent, with some now demanding parents to add groceries
to guard against the erosion of the value of the money.
Schools close for the second term this week, but most
parents are in for a rude shock this month as a majority of the schools have
already indicated that they will be increasing fees for the third term. The
latest development comes as the Government has indicated that it was now up to
schools and parents to sit down and decide which fees structure suit both
parties with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education only coming in to
legitimise the agreed figures.
“The ministry is not
in charge of suggesting fees for schools but rather the school and parents are
responsible for the agreement of the fees increase. The ministry then approves
when it has seen the application made by the school and the register of
attendance that is when it can approve the fee increases,” said Deputy Minister
of Primary and Secondary Education Cde Edgar Moyo.
A survey by Sunday News revealed that boarding schools have
already come up with fees structures for next term. Some have already notified
parents while some are waiting for schools to close so they can send letters to
the parents.
Sunday News has learnt that Usher High School in
Matabeleland South has increased fees from $950 to $1 700 per term. The school
is also demanding that parents buy groceries. A parent with a child learning at
the girls only school said it has become difficult, although parents were keen
to see their children receive quality education and enough food during the
course of the term.
“We are aware of the economic challenges facing our
country, it is difficult because the economy is not stable but it is only fair
that as a parent we do the best for the comfort and diet of our children,
seeing that the prices are regularly changing as well,” said a parent.
Sunday News also understands that Matopo High School has
proposed to increase fees from $576 to $1 100 while its sister school,
Mtshabezi High has proposed to increase from $800 to $1 300. Officials at other
schools also indicated that they would increase the fees, but pointed out that
that they were still working on the figures.
“With the current economic hardships we are faced, we are
just expecting anything to happen. We will just keep hoping nothing changes but
we cannot do anything because that is what is on the ground,” said Mrs Linda Moyo
from Luveve, who said she has two children at Minda Girls High in Kezi.
Some parents said it was inevitable that the third term
will be characterised by massive transfers as parents move their children to
affordable schools, with private trust schools also reported to have hiked fees
by massive margins. Sunday News
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