By-Schools have been given the green light to peg learners’ fees in US dollars but payable in local currency using prevailing interbank rates.
This was revealed by Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Manicaland Provincial Director, Richard Gabaza during a National Association of School Heads (NASH) conference that was held in Victoria Falls recently. Said Gabaza:
We were given authority for schools to apply in USD for fees increase. Schools continued to raise concern over the inflation and their failure to meet the financial demands saying parents pay using the prevailing bank rate.
This authority does not mean to say fees are now paid in foreign currency.
Some schools, especially those with boarding facilities have demanded top-up fees from parents in response to rising inflation.
Earlier this month, Hartzell High School in Mutare warned parents and guardians that it would no longer be able to feed learners beyond a certain date as food stocks were running dry.
The school said if its food stocks were not replenished by 22 June, parents would be asked to collect their children from the school.