Exam registration: Schools should be sensitive
IWOULD like to commend the government for subsidising the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) examination fees. Surely, this should be applauded because the examination fees that were announced by Zimsec were beyond the reach of many Zimbabweans considering the hardships that were brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last month, the government announced that it had budgeted $1,7 billion towards the administration of the 2021 school public examinations with parents and guardians only required to pay 45% of the examination fees.
This is noble as it is aimed at easing the pressure on parents whose incomes were affected by the COVID19-induced lockdowns.
While these government efforts are noble, there are some schools, such as Glen Norah 1 High School, which are working against government efforts in making sure that education is accessible to all pupils despite their social standing.
On May 31, 2021, Glen Norah 1 High head sent a circular which read: “Examination fees payment for November will only be accepted on condition that all school fees are fully paid up to the first term of 2021. You are, therefore, advised to ensure that all outstanding fees from previous terms and this term are paid to avoid inconveniencies when it comes to registration.”
While there is nothing wrong with paying up, I don’t know if it is government policy to force people to pay fees first before paying examination fees.
The fees up-front policy is coming at a time when the schools unilaterally increased fees ten-fold without consulting parents as stipulated by the law.
But given the economic hardships that were brought about by COVID-19, I can foresee many children failing to register for examinations if the policy that Glen Norah 1 High has implemented is allowed to take root.
This policy is not peculiar to Glen Norah 1 High, but is rampant, especially in urban schools.
Schools should be sensitive to the plight of children, especially from poor backgrounds. I plead with President Emmerson Mnangagwa as a listening President to intervene before the future of our children is ruined by unscrupulous school heads.
Disgusted Parent