This follows reports that some schools are coercing parents
to pay school fees in local currency at inflated black-market rates while
others are demanding that fees be paid in forex only.
Parents have reportedly being forced to use rates as high
as ZWL38 for US$1 when paying school fees in local currency.
In a recent interview with Sunday News, Ministry of Primary
and Secondary Education Deputy Director for Communications and Advocacy Mr
Patrick Zumbo emphasised the importance of adhering to the official exchange
rate.
“Schools must stay away from negative practices that could
result in legal repercussions. We insist that when parents pay in local
currency, schools should always use the official exchange rate. The
black-market rate has no place in our educational institutions,” said Mr Zumbo.
He further urged schools not to restrict fee payments to
foreign currency only.
“Schools must not insist on payments in US dollars
exclusively. We question why schools require US dollars when basic necessities
such as food and stationery for students can be purchased using local currency.
We encourage heads of schools to allow payments in a currency of the parents’
choice, including the Rand, which is preferred by some parents in Masvingo and
Matabeleland South Provinces.”
Mr Zumbo also addressed concerns regarding school uniforms,
where parents are reportedly being pressured to buy overpriced items directly
from schools.
“We have received complaints from stakeholders about
schools mandating that parents purchase uniforms exclusively from them. This
practice is unacceptable. Parents should have the freedom to buy uniforms from
affordable sources. While schools can sell uniforms as part of their commercial
activities, these should be reasonably priced. In some cases, we have seen
uniform prices exceed school fees and levies,” he warned.
Mr Zumbo acknowledged the financial strain on parents,
stating, “Most parents are fulfilling their financial obligations and we
appreciate their efforts. We encourage parents to communicate with school
authorities if they face challenges with payments and propose a feasible
payment plan.”
He noted, however, that some parents struggle to honour
agreements made with schools, which can lead to difficulties.
The ministry is currently assessing the availability of
boarding school placements with Mr Zumbo mentioning that some institutions are
still enrolling for Form One boarding placements and parents should explore
vacancies in schools that are not full.
“Our Electronic Ministry Application Platform (e-map) will
provide information on districts and provinces with openings, and we plan to
close the platform once schools officially open. For now, we have above 26 000
boarding places, in previous years it was around 24 000 versus 33 000 learners
that applied. We have more schools being built as boarding schools, but we
still have a short supply in terms of placements,” he added.
As schools prepare to welcome students, many parents,
especially those with children entering Form One, Grade One or Early Childhood
Development are feeling the financial impact of school requirements.
“I’ve found preparing for Form One to be quite a journey
filled with both excitement and stress. We’ve been busy acquiring uniforms,
books and other essentials. Choosing the right school has been a significant
decision and we want to ensure it fits our child’s needs,” shared Mr Khumbulani
Hadebe from North End, Bulawayo.
He expressed concern over rising school fees, stating, “The
costs have increased dramatically, and managing the budget has been
challenging. We’ve had to make tough decisions about our spending, especially
if fees continue to rise.” Sunday News
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