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Schools increase fees by 1 000pc
The Herald (Zimbabwe)
August 05, 2005

http://www.herald.co.zw/index.php?id=45809&pubdate=2005-08-05

TUITION fees and general purpose fund for all Government primary and secondary schools have been increased by 1 000 percent backdated to January 1, this year.

Some schools have since issued statements highlighting the new fees.

The fees — effective retrospectively from January 1, 2005 — had remained unchanged since May 2000, despite numerous increases effected by private schools.

The Herald was yesterday inundated with calls from parents who felt the increases were too steep.

They were unhappy with demands by schools that the fees be paid in full before the beginning of the third term.

The increases will result in schools that were charging $300 asking for $300 000.

Schools that were charging $300 000 per term are now demanding $1,2 million.

Education, Sport and Culture Minister Cde Aeneas Chigwedere spoke against the decision to backdate the fees.

"The fees were only approved this term (second term). We don’t expect the schools to charge from January."

Some schools have convened meetings to discuss the matter with parents while others issued statements communicating the latest development.

A circular from Widdecombe Primary School in Hatfield, Harare, stated that parents had to pay the new fees and the outstanding balance from the first and second term before the third term begins.

"The $300 000 and balance from the first and second terms is payable to the school bursar before the commencement of the third term," reads part of the circular.

This means that parents have to pay about $900 000 for the whole year.

Parents who had paid $300 for each of the first and second terms will have to top up the amount to $900 000.

A circular from the Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture to all provincial education directors advised that the ministry was reviewing school fees for Government schools upwards to mitigate the effects of the current economic environment.

"Cognisant of the current unstable economic environment, whereby the prices of basic teaching and learning materials have continually been going up, Government has fixed new levels for all categories of all Government schools," reads part of the circular.

While parents expressed their willingness to co-operate in view of the obtaining economic challenges, they felt that the sudden increase, coupled with the backdating of the fees to January, would make it hard for them to pay the required amount at once.

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