Chaos as examination candidates are locked out of school for non-payment of school fees

-No fees, no entry as schools shun government policy
-Schools demanding cash for fees payment
-Parents being short-changed by banks
-Recommended school regalia being shunned

Despite government’s long standing directive that discourages schools from sending learners back home for non-payment of fees, some schools in Harare continue to infringing this order, in this case affecting examination candidates, Nhau can report.

At a time teachers unions are still at loggerheads with the government and schools are making final arrangements for the Zimbabwe School Examination Council (Zimsec) public examinations, another problem has sprouted for candidates affecting the children’s right to access education.

Most secondary schools started practical examinations for Ordinary level students on Monday and grade seven pupils are set to commence examinations tomorrow but Nhau has gathered that not all candidates are taking part in the process due to a new trend that needs government intervention.

The issue of school fees payment has become a major eye sore hindering candidates to participate in the public examinations as those with unpaid school fees are being shut out of the school premises’ hence being deprived of their right to sit for the exams.

Nhau carried out a survey in Mbare, Wednesday and observed two primary schools and a high school turning away students, even those in exam classes from entering the school premises without receipts to prove they paid their school fees.

Parents were bitter baying for the school authority’s blood and expressing concern for the future of their children whose education has already been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and the on-going industrial action by teachers demanding better salaries.

Not only were students being turned away for not paying fees, but issues like failing to have a haircut and failure to have a school issued sports t-shirt saw pupils being turned away from school.

To make matters worse, despite non-payment of fees, another problem already exists for those who are writing ordinary and advanced level examinations, as they cannot enter the exam room without identity particulars.

Scores of students are yet to possess the particulars as the Registrar general’s office is already overwhelmed with people seeking the “must have’ documents after the offices were shut down over the last six months due to effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Despite all these issues, the critical financial crisis in the country is giving parents a huge toll in their bid to pay school fees for their children as banks are reportedly turning away those who intend to pay via electronic payment.

They are allegedly demanding cash upfront for payments and this is yet another setback that ends up affecting the pupils as well.

One parent with a grade seven candidate, who preferred anonymity told Nhau that they feel being short-changed by the banking institutions that are making it even more difficult to pay fees due to cash withdrawal limits.

“We go to the bank intending to utilise the swipe facility and we are told that services for both savings and current account card holders are not working for fees payment. We are being forced to make withdrawals which are limited and pay using cash depositing the money into the school account.

“As for me, the maximum withdrawal can make per week is Z$500 and my child has to pay Z$2 500, meaning the whole week I make one transaction and the school authorities want their total fees once off.”

“I have a grade seven pupil who is starting to write exams tomorrow and I am yet to pay the school fees and our students are being shut out of school without paying fees. How will my daughter write while she has not yet been given a chance to attend school?” she fumed.

Another parent, Edna Gondwe whose child is also a grade seven candidate expressed displeasure over the way school authorities were handling their children.

“I have never seen anything like this before. My child is writing tomorrow but is being sent away. I risked arriving late at work in order to pay the school fees and up to now I have not been able to pay. The gate is shut preventing parents from entering to pay. We seek government intervention over this because we are bearing the brunt as parents, “she said.

Other parents who have the privilege of earning United States dollar salaries were also bitter as government schools are turning them away opting for the local current.

Scores of parents thronged another school in the area by 7am intending to pay school fees for their candidates but by 9am they were yet to be attended to, with school authorities appearing to be on a go slow in making necessary arrangements for them to pay.

“Since 7am this morning we were here and they sent our children home but they are not attending to us and we have failed to make the necessary payments despite having the money in our possession.”

Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education communications and advocacy director Taungana Ndoro told Nhau that schools that were turning away candidates for non-payment of fees were breaking the law.

He stated that as for the other issues such as regalia, parents must adhere to the policies of the schools their children are enrolled at.

“That is illegal. It is absolutely illegal for students to be turned away for non-payment of fees and government has been on record over the issue. No child is supposed to be sent away .”

“With regards to regalia, schools and the parents had an understanding that their children should wear certain regalia to school. Students should not turn a school into whatever they feel like by failing to adhere to set out school principles. No student should dress in the way they please as this has an impact of affecting the reputation of the school and the community as well.”

Ndoro also advised parents to utilise the school bank accounts if they are being turned away from schools by failing to have cash up front.

“There is no school that does not have a bank account. Of the 9625 schools we have in the country, none has no bank account. If there are no swipe facilities at the school parents should transfer or deposit the money into the school’s bank account,” Ndoro said.

Over the years school authorities have been urged to engage parents over unpaid school fees through School Development Committees (SDCs) but parents were bitter that it appeared as if the committees were working in cahoots with the school authorities by demanding cash up front. Nhau/Indaba