Zimpapers Logo

Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondent
SIXTY TWO percent of parents in Bulawayo have not paid their children’s school fees and levies for the First Term at Government schools amid concern that non-payment of fees is hindering the implementation of the new education curriculum.

In an interview, the acting Bulawayo Provincial Education Director Mrs Olicah Kaira said their records show that only 38 percent of parents paid school fees for last term for primary and secondary schools.

She said non-payment of fees was hindering the province in implementing the new curriculum which requires a lot of funding.

“We are implementing a new curriculum and we need a lot of financial resources, we need qualified teachers and teacher capacity development is part of the pillars of the new curriculum and without money we cannot even build new infrastructure. Infrastructural development is a pillar that contributes towards successful implementation of the curriculum,” she said.

Mrs Kaira said hot sitting was not ideal in the successful implementation of the new curriculum.

“In a normal situation, the new curriculum requires each class in its classroom and that’s the ideal situation we are looking for. But we’re still hot sitting and in Cowdray Park there is treble sitting. Our pupils are learning in open spaces and we are in winter and it’s very cold which is not good for the children,” said Mrs Kaira.

“We’re pleading with our parents to pay their fees and levies. If we do not pay we’re not collecting adequate monies, we are going to face a dilemma and this is the time the Bulawayo community should capitalise on and use for construction of classes.”

She said it was worrying that some parents were making payment plans that they were not honouring.

“We need money for textbooks, we  need to buy smart phones, tablets, we have a project that we are doing with higher life where children must work on their tablets even at home but we can’t do such things if we don’t have the funds,” said Mrs Kaira.

— @nqotshili