By A Correspondent- The Government says it is on high alert to ensure that schools desist from illegal fee hikes as the 2023 Second Term commences on 08 May.

Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education spokesperson Taungana Ndoro on Saturday told State media that Government schools should follow laid-down guidelines on school fees increases. He said:

We will be on high alert, closely monitoring those schools that would have illegally hiked school fees.

Any fees hike outside the stipulated regulations, which include parents’ consent and approval by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, is illegal. Schools should follow the ministry’s policies and regulations.

Meanwhile, parents and guardians with children at private schools have bemoaned the pegging of fees in black market foreign currency exchange rates. Said a concerned parent:

Private schools do as they wish. The fees are pegged in speculative foreign currency black market rates and the attitude is “take it or leave it”.

It’s the second term and surely you can not withdraw your child from the school. Those in private schools are suffering silently unlike those in Government or church-run schools where Government can easily intervene.

The fees are pegged in local currency, but if you ask to pay in US dollars you then realise that the figures in local currency were arrived at using a speculative black market rate, which is higher than the one being used in the streets.

This comes as Falcon College in Esigodini, Matabeleland South has increased school fees for the Second Term to ZWL$11 330 000.

This is approximately equivalent to US$10,600 based on the official exchange rate of 1,070.

The cost of education in Zimbabwe has risen over the years due to a combination of factors, including inflation, currency devaluation, and the high cost of educational resources such as textbooks and school uniforms.