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25 schools get permission to reopen
The Herald
May 07, 2004

http://www.herald.co.zw/index.php?id=31687&pubdate=2004-05-07

The Government has given permission for 25 private schools to reopen after finalising and setting their fees, but heads are still being picked up by police on allegations of charging unapproved fees before commencement of the second term.

The list of schools allowed to open will only be made public today after the police have been informed, but several of the 25 schools will be opening today and were believed to be calling parents yesterday afternoon to advise them of the development.

The High Court yesterday, with the consent of the State, declared the closure of Hartmann House Preparatory School by the Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture "null and void" following an urgent application brought by the Parent Teachers’ Association.

Justice Susan Mavangira directed the police to allow the school to open, again with the consent of both parties, and to do nothing to disrupt the smooth running of the school.

A group of 17 schools in and around Bulawayo have a similar application scheduled for today.

Police had by yesterday picked up heads and, in some cases, the chairmen of the boards of governors of at least nine schools in Harare, Bulawayo and Marondera.

Those arrested in Marondera paid deposit fines of $100 000 each after signing admission of guilt forms for raising fees without the authority of the Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture, police said.

Others were picked up on Wednesday night, but were subsequently released after giving statements. They are expected to appear in court soon on similar charges.

Police spokesperson Inspector Andrew Phiri confirmed the arrests of the heads and the board chairpersons.

"As police officers, we are only enforcing the laws that exist and we will continue to do so until everyone complies with the laws of the country," he said.

The Minister of Education, Sport and Culture, Cde Aeneas Chigwedere, would not release the names of the 25 schools whose fees have been set by the Government yesterday, saying he had to give them to Police Commissioner Cde Augustine Chihuri first.

But he said parents with children in those schools would be notified today.

The police, who were deployed at the private schools to ensure that they remained closed until they complied with a Government directive not to increase fees until it grants them the approval, would only be called off after the schools followed all the procedures.

Cde Chigwedere said the number of schools whose fees would be set by the Government, could increase anytime as the Secretary for Education was still processing applications from other schools.

A total of 46 schools were closed on Monday and were told they would remain shut until their fee structure had been settled.

Schools which fail to come to an agreement with the ministry by Friday next week, said the minister, would face drastic action.

It is understood that the schools have opted for negotiations with the Government and those whose applications have not been finalised are still in the negotiation stages.

The Secretary for Education, Sport and Culture has the responsibility under the Education Act of considering all applications for fees and fee increases of over the specified amount, at present 10 percent a year.

He can accept the application or he can reject it and fix a fee he considers more appropriate.

It is understood that the Secretary has rejected almost all, if not all, the applications and has set the fees. The levels for day schools are roughly twice the fees for last year’s third term with bigger increases allowed for boarding institutions.

Schools have had to accept these ministry fees before being allowed to reopen, but parents were reportedly told at a meeting with the minister on Wednesday that this did not prevent appeals. Notwithstanding that, the accepted fees are all that can be charged at present.

Those of the 46 schools desiring increases had applied at the end of last term or early in the school holidays and the ministry was considering their applications.

However, most jumped the gun by sending out invoices for the unapproved fees, leading to the closures this week.

Government shut down 46 private schools on Monday for increasing fees without written approval.

The move has affected at least 30 000 pupils who have not attended lessons since Tuesday when the term started.

Parents yesterday continued to express mixed feelings about the move, with some saying it was too harsh and was only making their children suffer while others commended the Government’s stance.

A group of parents met in Harare this week where anger and worry were expressed over the closures, with some of them accusing the Government of wanting to destroy private schools.

Others urged a conciliatory approach, saying confrontation would not succeed.

There are other areas of disagreement with some of those who have to find the full fees complaining that there was too much pressure for higher fees from those who received school fees as part of the employment package.

But some of those who have to pay in full have been supporting the higher fees, saying they want top-notch education for their children.

"The Government has every right to set a limit to what can be charged by these schools," said one parent whose children attend Hartmann House and Watershed College.

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