GOVERNMENT has unleashed the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) on schools allegedly refusing to accept tuition fee payments in local currency.
Reports abound of a number of schools exclusively demanding
payment in United States dollars as the local unit keeps losing value against
major currencies due to inflation.
Schools opened for the third term on Monday amid reports
that some institutions were also demanding fees top-ups to keep operations
running.
Primary and Secondary Education minister Evelyn Ndlovu told
senators on Thursday that school authorities should accept the local currency
equivalent to the United States dollar at the prevailing interbank rate or face
arrest.
“The policy is very clear that the parents who have got the
foreign currency can pay in foreign currency and those with local currency can
pay in that currency,” Ndlovu said.
She said they had engaged Zacc to track schools that are
exclusively demanding foreign currency payments.
“I think you are aware that as government, we are in
trouble in terms of the black market. It is similar to what is happening in
schools and I call upon all our people to resist these people who break the law
and report them to Zacc, I think the commission can assist us.”
Last month, government had given greenlight for schools to
charge fees in United States dollars, leading to calls for formal
dollarisation.
The Education ministry said schools could charge fees in
United States dollars to recoup operational costs
In an about turn, Ndlovu said exclusively demanding fees in
foreign currency was not government policy.
“We are worried that some schools have decided to come up
with their own policy, which is not government policy,” she said.
“We call upon all parents and school heads to make sure
that they accept payments in either foreign currency or local currency. We are
all aware of the issue of the black market; we have been trying as government
to address that issue but schools continue to break the law.”
Meanwhile, teacher unions yesterday celebrated the third
anniversary of the International Day to Protect Education from Attack as they
vowed to outlaw political parties from abusing school children, educators and
learning infrastructure ahead of the 2023 elections.
The ruling Zanu PF party has often been accused of bussing
schoolchildren to its rallies.
In a statement, the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of
Zimbabwe (Artuz) said: “On this day, the Artuz reaffirms its commitment to the
safe schools campaign under which we seek to achieve the outlawing political
parties from accessing school premises in pursuit of private political gains,
encourage the adoption of a Voluntary Safe Schools Monitoring mechanism and
ensure Zimbabwe signs up to the Oslo Safe schools declaration.
“The union will soon be inviting political parties to sign
up to a safe schools pledge committing themselves not to interfere with the
school’s ecosystem.”
In 2018, legislative watchdog, Veritas in partnership with
Artuz filed an urgent application at the Masvingo High Court to prohibit the
use of school premises for political purposes.
The court ruled in their favour.
“The union appreciates the Zimbabwe Human Rights
Commission, for taking heed of our call in 2017 and producing a comprehensive
report on interference of political parties in schools. A lot of work still has
to be done,” Artuz said.
Zimbabwe is among the few remaining countries which are yet
to endorse the Safe Schools Declaration that seeks to protect learners and
educators from political interference. Newsday
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