’Make payment plans for school fees’

ALTHOUGH there is no law that allows schools to dismiss pupils from school for non-
payment of fees, parents have to know that there is not yet free education law in the country
and should pay their children’s school fees.
Where they face problems, they have to visit their children’s schools and talk to the
administration on how they will pay the fees.
Acting Mashonaland Central Provincial Education Director, Dr Themba Mangwiro, reminded
all parents who have not yet paid school fees for their children to act.
He said schools have payment plans and parents/ guardians should capitalise on that clause
and at least stagger their payments if they cannot have the full fees at once.
Schools cannot run properly if pupils do not pay fees.
“We have parents that do not pay their children’s fees but still expect their children to learn.
Such parents drag work behind. If one cannot pay off once, schools have payment plans,” he
said.
The Ministry acknowledged that it is every child’s right to be educated without any
hindrances, hence it directed local schools that were sending children back home for not
paying schools to stop forthwith. Schools like Marian Primary School and Salvation Army
Primary School were sending children back home as early as since schools opened for this
term.
“We agreed with all school heads not to send pupils home but rather seek means to meet their
guardians and resolve the problems while pupils continue with their education,” said Dr
Mangwiro.
He said there was no school refusing parents to have payment plans in the province and
parents should capitalise on this rather than to totally ignoring paying.