These are part
of the several regulations gazetted by Primary and Secondary Education
Minister, Dr Torerayi Moyo yesterday, as the Heritage-Based Education
curriculum takes root.
Minister Moyo
invoked the Education Act through Statutory Instrument 13 of 2025 to give
effect to regulations meant to instil discipline both on students and teachers.
The
regulations, to be cited as the Education (General) Regulations, 2025, are
meant to stop societal vices such as drug abuse, sexual abuse, and bullying,
among others. Section 12 of the regulations provides that when a girl child
gets pregnant, the school must provide psycho-social support.
“Where a girl
who is a pupil at a school becomes pregnant, the school head — (a) shall inform
the parents of the girl as soon as possible if they are not already aware of
the pregnancy, (b) shall facilitate psycho-social supportive services to the
girl and parent, (c) if the girl and her parents so wish, the girl shall be
permitted to remain at school for as long as possible before the delivery of
her child, and to return thereafter as soon as her health and the health of her
child permit it,” reads the regulations.
Section 14 of
the regulations does not allow students to visit teachers’ quarters.
“14 (1) No
pupils must be allowed at the school staff quarters. (2) Every school shall
develop guidelines for the pupils to access staff offices and base rooms to
ensure safety of the pupils. (3) Subsection (1) shall not apply where the pupil
is a child or relative of the teacher or member of staff whose living-quarters
he or she enters and resides in,” reads the regulations.
Section 18
empowers a school head to suspend a pupil whom he or she reasonably suspects of
serious misconduct for up to 14 days to allow investigations.
“No pupil may
be suspended from school without first being granted a reasonable opportunity,
with the support of his or her parents, to make representations with respect to
the proposed suspension,” the regulations read.
Section 20
prevents pupils from being excluded from school for non-payment of any form of
school fees or levies.
However, it
imposes an obligation on parents and guardians to pay school fees and levies
before schools open for a new term.
The regulations
seek to provide equal opportunity to education and it stipulates that no pupil
should be denied an opportunity to learn because of the quality of his or her
results.
“Basic
education is compulsory and, if the parents of the pupil cannot afford the
tuition fees and levies at a Government school, the State shall assist, within
the limits of the resources available to it, in providing that education.
“Admission of
children into Government schools; No school head shall exclude a child of
school-going age from enrolment at a Government school solely on the ground
that the child does not have a birth certificate. No child of school-going age
shall be denied admission into basic education in Government schools based on
the quality of results he or she possesses,” reads the regulations.
A fine not
exceeding level six or imprisonment of up to six months shall apply to those
found guilty of violating the above.
The regulations
also empower the school head to expel a pupil if he or she is satisfied, after
a fair hearing that the pupil is guilty of serious misconduct and in expelling
the pupil, he should notify the parents furnishing them with reasons for his or
her decision.
But the
expulsion should be effected after consultation with the District Schools
Inspector (DSI) and responsible authority of the school, if it is a
non-Government school.
A parent of an
expelled pupil has 14 days of appealing in writing to the Permanent Secretary
or any other person designated by the Permanent Secretary through the DSI and a
decision should be made within a month.
The learner
concerned might be allowed to attend lessons unless school authorities feel on
reasonable grounds, that such attendance might lead to indiscipline or injury
to any person or damage to property.
The school head
is obliged to notify his superior about his decision to expel a pupil including
the Permanent Secretary of Primary and Secondary Education and the reasons for
doing so. Herald
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