The Herald
13 March 2009
Harare — GOVERNMENT has directed heads of State schools to allow parents to pay fees in instalments, reiterating that no pupil should be turned away for non-payment.
In an interview yesterday, Minister of Education, Arts, Sport and Culture David Coltart said parents who needed to pay in instalments should see the heads of their children’s schools.
“We have issued a directive saying parents can stagger the payment of fees. They can organise with headmasters and come up with a schedule of payment over a period of time,” he said.
The directive has been issued to all State schools and follows the decision last week to charge fees for State schools in US dollars.
Fees range from nil for State rural primary schools to US$280 a term for State sixth forms in low-density suburbs. Many parents are only now moving onto hard currency salaries and consequently do not have adequate US dollar savings although they will have a US dollar salary from this month.
Minister Coltart said orphans and vulnerable children were entitled to relief from the State.
“They can get a total waiver or partial waiver depending on their ability to pay,” he said.
Parents or guardians of such children are required to reveal their incomes and assets for assessment by the State before a decision is taken on whether they should pay fees.
Minister Coltart said he was aware that some schools were disregarding Government’s directive not to turn away pupils hence the directive.
He urged parents to report such schools to his ministry.
Authorities at several institutions, among them Glen View 2 Government Primary School, have disregarded Government’s directive not to turn away pupils.