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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
GOVERNMENT has said private schools in Bulawayo have agreed not to increase fees without seeking approval following engagements.

An official said Bulawayo’s Provincial Education Director Mrs Olicah Kaira had engaged private schools in the city and they are agreeable with the Government’s position.

Some private schools started online lessons last week while demanding fees that Primary and Secondary Education Minister Cain Mathema described as extortionist and against the Education Act.

The Minister warned that schools that charge unregulated fees risked being deregistered.

Schools are supposed to consult parents before engaging the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to approve the fees.

But most private schools reviewed fees upwards both in local and in foreign currency without the approval of the parents and the Ministry.

In Bulawayo, private schools such as Petra and Whitestone had given parents up to May 15 to make partial fees payment as they wait for Government’s communication on schools’ opening.

The schools are charging deposits of between $14 000 and $27 000 insisting that they will be teaching pupils online.

Schools remain closed as part of Government measures to mitigate against the spread of Covid-19.

The closure of schools has seen Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) indefinitely postponing June public examination that were set for next month.

Primary and Secondary Education Ministry spokesperson Mr Patrick Zumbo yesterday said Government has engaged private schools over the exorbitant fees and private schools in Bulawayo had agreed to comply with Government’s directive.

“The Provincial Education Directors (PEDs) have actually engaged all private schools in Bulawayo and here in Harare. The PED is also engaging and is still engaging some private schools.

“There is no way in which they can continue charging any fees at the moment especially those that were never approved by the Permanent Secretary,” said Mr Zumbo.

He said the Ministry will conduct further investigations to assess whether the schools are complying with regulations as they had committed to abiding by the laws.

“In our engagement with them they are agreeable that they will actually do as advised by the Ministry,” he said.

Mrs Kaira referred questions to Education Ministry officials at national level.

Association of Trust Schools (ATS) executive director Mr Timothy Middleton could not be reached for comment as he was not responding to calls on his mobile phone.

Petra Schools Trust chairman Mr David Coltart said he would respond today.

Meanwhile, Mr Zumbo said the Ministry was finalising rolling out radio lessons, with the launch of the programme expected before the end of this week in Bulawayo.

“The radio lessons are expected to start very soon possibly this week or next week all things being equal. From our general survey we realised that radio could be one of the possible ways of reaching the largest population of our learners. We are not stopping there; we are still exploring other possible ways; the idea is to ensure that no one is left behind. If you can’t access Ruzivo online platform, you can possibly access radio and if you can’t access radio we can possibly reach you through some modules,” said Mr Zumbo.

He said Government was aware of the challenges that come with teaching mass learners via radio. “These are extraordinary circumstances and what we are coming up with are extraordinary measures. We may not perhaps do it the way we used to do, but at least we have to do something,” said Mr Zumbo.

“But in the interim we can’t just sit and look at our children when they are regressing. It’s actually a measure to ensure that our learners do not regress. It might not be the most efficient way but at least we have to do something.” — @nqotshili