The ZIMSEC examination fees hike by the government means that most students will not able to sit for their exams because their parents will not afford to pay those exorbitant fees considering the disparity between salaries and the official exchange rates of the ZimDollar to USDollar.
The least paid worker in the commercial sector is earning a paltry $392 rtgs/ month. They are even not able to put food on the table let alone fend for their families. The majority of workers are struggling to pay school fees for their children.
The government is not doing anything about it. The bottleneck system is back and the poor can’t afford to go to school yet we claim in our constitution that we offer free Education.
School fees has gone up exam fees have gone up, and we will fight for our children’s right to quality education as enshrined in section 27 of the constitution of Zimbabwe.
It only appears in the media to say the Minister of Primary and High Education has warned schools not to increase fees by more than 20% yet schools did not head that instruction. On the ground nothing changed.
Why are children paying school fees when section 27(1a) clearly states that the state must promote free and compulsory basic education for all children?
The education ministery has the audacity to increase exam fees on over burdened parents. Kukama mombe kusvika yabuda ropa. Is this governent for poor people or it’s for the rich only?
I cannot finish without mentioning the domestic workers. How much are they getting? Less than the Exam fee per month. Does it mean their children are if lesser importance and should not be educated?
Most employers are increasing COLA instead of the salaries knowingly that if an employee is dismissed or resigned today his/her terminal benefits are calculated by the basic salary excluding the COLA. The employee will go home empty handed.
The government of Zimbabwe should consider all these factors and reduce the Exam fee to a reasonable fee in line with what employees are being paid right now.
SHINGA MUSHANDI SHINGA but now mushandi haachakwanisa kushinga zvarema. #TogetherWeCan transform the labour sector.
Patrick Ndlovu
LEAD Vice-President