GOVERNMENT yesterday warned schools which are turning away learners over the non-payment of fees, saying it is illegal and a punishable offence.
This follows reports that thousands of pupils across Zimbabwe were sent back home for failing to pay fees when schools opened for the third term early this month, while some of the schools were exclusively demanding United States dollar fees.
Primary and Secondary Education ministry spokesperson Taungana Ndoro told NewsDay that government will not tolerate errant schools and their heads.
“The issue is very clear. The law says no child or learner of school-going age is supposed to be sent away from school for non-payment of fees because it’s unconstitutional,” he said.
“According to Constitutional Amendment Act of 2020, it’s in the Constitution, so any school or any headmaster who continues to send (away) learners over non-payment of fees is doing so illegally and the long arm of the law is going to catch up with them very soon.”
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Ndoro said the offenders would not be punished.
“We have a cocktail of strategies in which as a ministry we are going to make sure that we apprehend those suspects or malcontents within our circles because there is no learner who is supposed to be sent away,” he said.
The Primary and Secondary Education ministry spokesperson, however, said schools were encouraged to use other means to demand payment of fees from parents.
“The payment of fees is a contract between the parent and the school administration, so if the school has any issues over the non-payment of fees, it is supposed to use any measures necessary to deal with the parent and all those other measures can be used except one measure of sending away the child,” he added.
Teachers unions described the expulsion of children over failure to pay fees as unfortunate and blamed government for failing to provide free basic education as is the case universally.
Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe president Obert Masaraure said the turning away of thousands of learners since the beginning of the third term, for non-payment of school fees, is an unfortunate and sad development.
“To begin with, children are not responsible for payment of school fees, not in any way. Parents and or guardians are responsible for the welfare of their charges and we all know that in case of failure or absence of the aforementioned, the government through the High Court is the ultimate custodian of all children in Zimbabwe,” he said.
Educators Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general Tapedza Zhou shared similar sentiments, saying: “Failure to provide free education to schoolchildren is a clear abrogation of children’s basic right to education provided in section 75 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
“This has an ultimate consequence of undermining the future of the nation through destroying the very education which is the bedrock for sustainable development.”
Zimbabwe Teachers Association secretary-general Goodwill Taderera said the sustainable development goals stipulate that every child has a right to State-funded basic education.
“Access to education must never be compromised. As we speak, the government has not paid Beam [Basic Education Assistance Module] funds since third term last year and that has compelled teachers and heads of schools to then chase learners away because they still have to deliver, they still have to function,” he said.
