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Schools press for USD fees

04 Feb, 2022 - 08:02 0 Views
Schools press for USD fees CALAs are a competence based educational activity

The ManicaPost

Samuel Kadungure
Senior Reporter

While schools in the province have inundated the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education seeking approval to charge for their services in foreign currency, the Government has said schools should not force parents to take this route.

The ministry said school authorities must first agree with parents on the forex issue before seeking its approval.

A number of school, especially those run by private players, have been pushing for either USD payments of school fees or doubled up school fees.

Parents paying USD pegged school fees in local currency are being asked to use the parallel market rate.

Other schools are asking parents to bring furniture and bond paper as prerequisites for enrolment into ECD and Grade 1 classes.

In an interview with The Manica Post at Mavhudzi High School in Makoni yesterday (Thursday), Primary and Secondary Education Minister Dr Evelyn Ndlovu said while schools can peg their fees in the currencies that are in the country’s multi-currency basket, when a parent opts to pay in local currency they must be allowed to do so as the Zimbabwean dollar is legal tender.

Dr Ndlovu said this during a tour of Makoni schools to check their preparedness to reopen in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We will not accept a situation where schools will force parents to pay fees in foreign currency. It is unacceptable because we have a local currency. In other words, they will be fighting and sabotaging the local currency. Every country has its own currency,” said Dr Ndlovu.

She added: “How are we going to protect our currency if we are continuously charging school fees in foreign currency? Most parents have no source of foreign currency so you are pushing them to go to the black market. We do not accept that.

“Those who do not have forex also need to send their children to school. Those with foreign currency who can afford to pay fees in USD are allowed to do so as we have a multi-currency system but then no school should prohibit parents from paying in local currency,” said Dr Ndlovu.

This comes as parents and guardians are making last minute purchases of school uniforms and making payments of school fees as the learning institutions are re-opening their doors for the first term on Monday.

Upon resumption of lessons on Monday, the first term will run for 45 days until April 7.

The second term will then commence on May 3.

The Manica Post understands that so far one of the best performing schools in the province, John Cowie Primary School, has presented to the ministry its application for USD fees.

The head, Mr Garikayi Nyawo, said schools must be authorised to budget in USD since suppliers are charging for goods and services in that currency.

He said in cases where the local currency is accepted, schools are charged using parallel market exchange rates, resulting in them failing to meet set targets.

“Collecting fees in local currency has created challenges for us due to the demands of our suppliers. Crafted operating budgets are difficult to meet as prices continue to rise, thereby making it difficult for schools to meet their expenses.

“Failure to meet operating budgets result in stakeholder displeasure. School leadership becomes pre-occupied with financial matters of the school at the expense of their core-business of facilitating learning,” said Mr Nyawo.

Deputy provincial education director (PED), Mr Charles Muganhu on Wednesday confirmed that most schools are seeking permission to charge fees in USD.

“We already have a stockpile of applications, among them are some who are seeking to be allowed to charge fees in USD,” said Mr Muganhu.

National Association of Secondary Heads (NASH) president, Mr Arthur Maphosa said schools must be allowed to collect fees in foreign currency so that they can take care of their expenses, amongst them the acquisition of personal protective equipment for both teachers and learners.

However, Zimbabwe School Development Committees (ZSDC) secretary general secretary Mr Evaristo Jongwe said while they sympathise with schools, parents should have a say in determining the new fees structure.

 

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