Own Correspondent|Acting Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Professor Amon Murwira says boarding schools will be allowed to increase boarding fees and levies, provided just 20 percent of parents agree and the proposal is approved by the ministry.

Disciplinary action will be taken against public schools that charge fees in foreign currency or increase tuition fees. Prof Murwira said the Government had no control over boarding fees and levies as they were open to market forces.

“The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education would like to confirm that there will be no tuition fee increases in public schools. Provincial education directors, district schools inspectors and heads of public schools should stand guided by the circular to the same effect which has been dispatched to them. Anyone found transgressing this directive will face disciplinary action.

“Government has also learnt that some private schools are charging directly or indirectly in forex. Responsible authorities of such schools are warned that they risk de-registration of such schools,” he said.

“Boarding fees and food fees are subject to market forces, therefore, that one will be charged reasonably. They have been given guidelines on how to proceed with boarding fees.”

“Boarding fees involves groceries. The ministry does not own a shop and therefore schools are subjected to expenses that occur on the market. This is why there has to be a meeting among the parents which determines the level of boarding fees.

“Government is in control of the tuition fees because that is the service we give,” he said.

The Ministry’s Secretary Mrs Tumisang Thabela said a circular that stipulated the requirements for schools to increase boarding fees was sent to all schools.

“A circular was sent to all schools stipulating how parents meet, look at their expenses and their surroundings, and agree on a fee they think can feed their children and send it to the ministry for approval.

“That circular stipulates that they have to send their audited statements so we are assured that money has been used correctly. They (schools) have to show us they had a parent assembly where more than 20 percent were attending that meeting.

“It has to show us that register of those parents is attached and is authentic. Once our team is convinced that it is a fair request, approval is done,” she said.

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