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State issues directive on school fees
The Herald (Zimbabwe)
September 06, 2006

http://www1.herald.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=8535&cat=1&livedate=9/06/2006

THE Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture has directed that the inflation rule for school fees and levies be backdated to the third term of last year when calculating the fees for this term.

This could see a significant reduction in fees and levies charged this term at most schools.

In effect, the directive states that fees for the term that started yesterday must be those for the third term of last year, adjusted for inflation.

Most non-Government schools — mission and trust schools in the main — were caught flat-footed by the unexpected surge in inflation in the last half of last year and had to push fees up significantly in the first term this year in order to maintain services.

Government schools raised their levies significantly at the beginning of the year as well.

In both sectors, fees and levies tended to be at an historic low once adjusted for inflation.

Trust and mission schools generally used the expected inflation for the first term to calculate second term fees, acting in the spirit of an agreement they reached with the Government although this was not yet law.

For this term, non-Government schools had been calculating fees, and Government schools had been calculating levies, based on last term's figures, adjusted for inflation during that term.

Parents had been warned that the fees for this term under this inflation rule were likely to be a little over double last term's fees once the August figure for the consumer price index (CPI) was issued, probably next week.

The amendments to the Education Act that establish the inflation rule were gazetted, and so became law, only after the start of last term.

Under these amendments, non-Government schools must apply for permission to raise fees or levies, but the permission must also be granted automatically so long as the increases do not exceed the percentage increase in the cost of living index over the preceding term.

Because the figures for the cost of living at the end of August are not yet out, most schools had set a provisional fee, pending approval, based on the CPI for June or July and had warned of a top-up fee when the final increase in the CPI for last term was known.

The Central Statistical Office normally publishes the CPI index for the end of a month in the second week of the next month.

The new directive was issued by the Secretary for Education, Sport and Culture, Dr Stephen Mahere, in a Press statement on Monday.

He warned that school authorities who increase fees and levies in violation of the law risk being prosecuted in terms of the provisions of the Education and the Anti-Corruption Acts.

While Dr Mahere, as Secretary, has to consider all applications and approve or disprove them, he has directed that the applications for fee increases must be submitted through provincial education directors.

He reminded schools of the provision in the amended Act that fees or levies paid by day pupils should not exceed 30 percent of those paid by those in boarding, or 40 percent if day pupils are provided with meals at the school, unless special approval was obtained.

It is understood that this provision might well see the abolition of boarding places at non-Government schools that are largely day schools and the abolition of day places at schools that largely cater for boarders.

Justifying his directives, Dr Mahere said: "Zimbabwe has always subscribed to the principle of education as a basic human right. In pursuance of this goal, the ministry believes that education should continue to be accessible and affordable to the majority of the people," said Dr Mahere.

Schools have already been complaining that there has been a huge delay in consideration of increases. Some applied five weeks ago and have heard nothing.

Prince Edward school headmaster Mr Kevin Atkinson said schools faced problems when the Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture takes time to approve proposed fees or levies.

"When the ministry takes long to approve fees or levies, creditors are not patient so it's a big problem for schools," he said.

Mr Atkinson said sometimes by the time the proposed fees and levies were approved, prices would have gone up several times.

An official at Girls High School said authorities need to approve proposed fees and levies in a reasonable period of time for schools to make proper financial decisions.

"If the fees or levies are approved after a longtime, prices would have gone up and at times, the proposed increases would be meaningless," said the official who requested anonymity.

Schools in Zimbabwe opened for the third term yesterday.

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