By A Correspondent
Primary and Secondary Education Minister Torerai Moyo has issued a stern warning to schools that are refusing to accept the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) as a form of payment for school fees, declaring that such defiance will not be tolerated under the country’s official multi-currency system.
Speaking in Harare last week while addressing Junior Parliamentarians, Moyo urged the young leaders to expose schools engaging in this practice, promising immediate action.
“Why are schools out there rejecting the ZiG currency as payment for fees?” Moyo asked. “Give us the names of such schools. We want to deal with them. We are in a multi-currency system, and ZiG is legal tender in this country.”
Moyo emphasised that no school has the authority to reject the local currency, adding that the government has made it clear that both ZiG and other approved currencies are to be accepted in all transactions.
“Any school refusing to accept ZiG is operating outside the law,” he said. “It is the responsibility of every institution, especially those in education, to uphold national policy.”
The ZiG, introduced by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe in April 2024 to replace the Zimbabwean dollar (ZWL), is backed by the country’s gold and foreign currency reserves. Despite this, some schools and service providers have continued to demand payment exclusively in U.S. dollars, frustrating parents and guardians who receive income in local currency.
Minister Moyo reaffirmed that the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education will not hesitate to take disciplinary measures against any non-compliant school.
“We will take action,” he said. “No one is above the law.”
His remarks come amid growing public concern over the inconsistency in how currencies are being accepted across the education sector, with some parents accusing schools of discriminating against low-income families who cannot access U.S. dollars.
Moyo concluded by urging the Junior Parliamentarians to play their part in holding institutions accountable:
“You are the voice of the students—help us make sure no learner is turned away simply because their parents paid in ZiG.”
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