Schools demand fees top-up

SOME boarding schools in Bulawayo and Matabeleland North and South provinces are demanding school fees top-ups for the remaining three weeks of the term to cater for food following a spate of price increases in October.

Matopo High School in Matabeleland South wants a $100 top-up, while others want between $50 and $100.

Bulawayo provincial education director Mrs Oricah Kaira said she had received reports to that effect, although they indicated that the proposals came from parents in reaction to communications from schools that they could not afford to feed learners much longer.

Matabeleland South PED Mr Lifias Masukume added: “I have heard that school development committees in some of our schools have met and agreed to have top-ups as they wait for official communication from the Permanent Secretary (in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education) which will justify the top-ups.

“However, the parents and SDCs have agreed to pay the top-ups either way so that pupils do not go hungry; but that is a decision of the parents not us.”

Matabeleland North PED Mr Jabulani Aggrey Mpofu said schools had to introduce stop-gap measures.

Primary and Secondary Education Minister Professor Paul Mavhima said schools required approval to increase fees.

“Any institution that feels their fees must be raised or that students pay a top-up now must do it in liaison with the Permanent Secretary. Schools are not allowed to make parents pay extra without consultation,” he said.

Prof Mvhima also said schools should not demand fees and levies in foreign currency as is reportedly happening at some private institutions.

“What we are saying is that it is not a must that parents should pay fees in foreign currency, but should it be out of their will then there is no problem. We cannot really force someone to pay money in forex but we can only control the schools not to demand foreign currency only,” he said.