The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has exhorted parents and guardians to pay school fees for their children.
The Ministry’s director of communication and advocacy Taungana Ndoro said schools should not send away day scholars for non-payment of fees but make payment plans with their parents and guardians.
Ndoro, however, reminded parents that boarding schools are a luxury and they cannot take their children to school without paying fees. He said:
For day scholars, we do not expect any school to send away learners for non-payment of fees, but schools should allow parents to make payment plans.
But we also expect cooperation from the parents. When they have made a plan, they should honour it and make payments.
However, parents should understand that boarding school is a luxury and they cannot take their children to school without paying school fees.
Boarding schools need the money to be able to provide food and other basic amenities for the learners.
So we want to encourage parents to pay school fees or at least come to an agreement with the school on a payment plan, which they should also pay so that schools can continue to operate and take care of learners.
Meanwhile, the Government has reintroduced a five-day learning week for all learners, thereby moving away from an arrangement in which learners in some schools attended classes at least three days per week.