By Dumisani Ndlovu
Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has given stern warning to school authorities against turning away pupils for non-payment of fees.
Speaking at the National Annual Science, Sport and Arts Festivals NASSAF, the new Primary and Secondary Education minister, Torerayi Moyo, chasing-pupils for nonpayment of school fees is a violation of the constitution.
Moyo who is also Gokwe Chireya Member of Parliament warned that school authorities in the habit of chasing away student risk prosecution.
“I want to appeal to stakeholders in the teaching profession that no school is allowed to turn away students for whatever reasons, because you will be committing a crime. And if you commit a crime the law will take its place, ‘he emphatically said.
According to education act, the contract of school fees payment is between the school and the parents and not the students.There are penalties where schools are sending away children who have not paid fees.
Some schools to demand payment of fees on the opening day yet there is no law that mandates parents to pay fees on opening day.
Moyo also encouraged parents and guardians to cater for their children’s fees.
He said he is aware that the Basic Education Assistance Module BEAM program often delay but will take correctional measurers to rectify the problem.
“I am aware that sometimes disbursements take time and we are going to appeal to the Ministry of finance to expeditiously release funds. So that operations of schools are not disturbed, “he said.
School authorities in Zimbabwe are on record complaining that Beam is not being paid on time and there is still a huge backlog in the disbursement of school fees through Beam.
The government is criticized of only increasing the number of beneficiaries, but there is little or no payment taking place.
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