SOME schools have defied the Government’s directive to
revert to the 2015 Zimbabwe School Examination Council (Zimsec) Ordinary Level
fees pegged at $15 per subject insisting that parents should pay $190 per
subject.
The Government last week reversed an increase of
examination fees, saying it wanted to carry out further consultations with
stakeholders before releasing a new fees structure.
Zimsec had increased the exam fees to $190 per subject from
$15 for Ordinary Level candidates and $351 per subject from $26 for Advanced
Level candidates.
Following Government’s intervention, parents and guardians
were advised to continue paying $15 and $26 per subject for O-and A-Level
candidates respectively.
In separate interviews yesterday, parents said some schools
were still demanding $190 per subject. The parents expressed fear that their
children might not be able to sit for the June examinations as they do not have
the money schools are demanding.
They said school heads argued that they had not yet
received a circular from Zimsec instructing them to revert to the old fees.
“As parents we heard from news on television and also read
from newspapers that Government had annulled the new examination fees. We are
now confused when schools insist on payment of the new fees. I am now afraid
that my child might not be able to register for June O-Level examination
because I do not have the money the school is demanding,” said Mr Tichawona
Hamadziripi.
One of the parents who preferred anonymity said he managed
to seek clarity from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education which
managed to address the issue and was able to register for $15 per subject.
In an interview yesterday, Primary and Secondary Education
Deputy Minister, Edgar Moyo said schools cannot defy a Government directive.
He said school authorities must allow parents to register
for exams based on the old fees as announced by Government.
Matabeleland South Provincial Education Director (PED), Mr
Lifias Masukume, said schools in his region had since reverted to the
examination fees approved in 2015 following a school heads meeting that was
held in Bulawayo on Monday to clear the confusion.
He said Zimsec also sent a circular to schools yesterday
instructing them to allow O-Level candidates to pay $15 per subject.
“On Monday we held a secondary school heads meeting in
Bulawayo where we made it clear to the heads that they should revert to the old
fees.
“During the meeting some of the school head raised concerns
that they had not yet received formal communication from Zimsec so we also
instructed Zimsec to send the circular,” he said.
Matabeleland North PED Mr Jabulani Mpofu said after
receiving a press statement from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary
Education yesterday, the school heads were immediately advised to charge $15
per subject hence there were no cases of schools demanding the new fees.
Chronicle
0 comments:
Post a Comment