The Chronicle
11 September 2012
A majority of schools in Bulawayo yesterday sent home hundreds of pupils for non-payment of fees and levies.
The schools once again defied a High Court judgment and the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture directive which forbids such an exercise.
Schools opened for the third term yesterday and pupils from different schools could be seen loitering in the streets as early as 8am as they were denied entry into their school premises.
Last year, Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Maphios Cheda with Justice Nicholas Ndou agreeing, made a landmark ruling that school heads who expel, suspend or withhold pupils’ results on the basis of non-payment of fees and levies were committing an offence under Section 7 of the Children’s Act. The Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, Senator David Coltart, is on record warning schools against sending away pupils over non-payment of fees.
More than 20 schools in the city barred pupils who had not paid the fees and levies from entering school premises.
In separate interviews yesterday, parents with children at Mzilikazi Primary School said they were sent away for non-payment of fees by their headmaster who stood at the gate to vet pupils.
“My child was sent away from school in the morning by his headmaster who stood at the gate with a security guard to check for school fees receipts before we could be allowed entrance into the school premises. They were told we had to make full fees payment before attending school,” said the man.
One of the parents whose child attends Mpumelelo Primary School in Mpopoma said many pupils were sent home in the morning and only a few had attended classes.
“Our children were sent home because they did not have receipts that prove we paid about $23, their school fees per term. This is so serious because school authorities expect us to pay full fees when things are so tough,” said the woman who refused to be identified.
Another parent, Mrs Anesu Khumalo, said by 7.30am her child was back from school.
“My child came back home saying security guards at her school refused her entry because she had no receipts proving she paid school fees. We know that it is our responsibility to pay fees but we have to make payment plans so that at least by this month end, we clear all arrears,” she said.
In a statement yesterday, Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) information officer Mr Zibusiso Dube condemned the exercise, saying it was a violation of children’s rights to education.
“Hundreds of Bulawayo students were today turned away from school for non-payment of fees despite directives by the Ministry of Education that school authorities should not do so.
“In a survey around the city, we identified at least 19 schools, both primary and secondary, that denied children access to school due to failure by the pupils to produce school fees receipts,†said Mr Dube.
He said there was a need for the Ministry to put measures in place to ensure that schools adhered to the directives of the Government on education.
“The schools include Mgoqo, Mawaba, Nduba, Mkhithika, Nyamande, Mgiqika, Pelandaba, Mpumelelo, Mckeurtan, Newmansford, Matshayisikhova, Senzangakhona, and Mkhithika Primary Schools as well as Nkulumane, Gifford, Townsend, Emakhandeni, Sikhulile and Luveve High schools. Children were chased away for different reasons including non-payment of the third term’s tuition fees, failure to clear balances from previous terms, and various levies such as building levy,†he said.