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FOLLOWING the announcement by the Government last week that schools will open on February 7, a lot of parents are excited that their children are going back to school.

Since 2020, parents have had to endure stress related to disruptions caused by Covid-19, which has seen schools being closed as part of a cocktail of measures to arrest the spread of the deadly virus.

Initially, schools were set to open for the first term on January 10, except for Form One classes whose opening day was earlier deferred to a later date as their Grade Seven results were yet to be released.

However, President Mnangagwa on December 30 postponed the first term 2022 schools opening to a later date citing the need to mitigate Covid-19 infections that were being recorded across the country causing a rise in deaths.

Only examination classes continued with their initial calendar, and resumed their Zimsec examinations, which ended on January 27.

Parents’ excitement is, however, short-lived as they face a fresh headache over the issue of school fees with some institutions having jumped the gun and hiked tuition without the Government’s approval. 

The Government recently directed all public schools that intend to adjust their tuition fees and school development levies for the 2022 first term to apply for approval from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education before effecting the changes.

Speaking to our sister paper Sunday News, director of communication and advocacy in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Mr Taungana Ndoro said some schools had submitted proposals for fees structures. 

“What has been happening now was a lot of background discussions regarding the issue of fees, with the schools submitting their applications for fees increment while they waited for  the announcement of the opening day.

“What will happen now is that the new fess structures will be determined by the school calendar, which our Permanent Secretary will soon be announcing in due course as already our officers are working on it,” said Mr Ndoro.

Mr Ndoro emphasised that no school could go ahead and effect school fees or levy increment without approval from the ministry.

“The ministerial position has been clear regarding these tuition fees, in that only those structures approved by the ministry will be considered binding.

“All these other fees that have been peddled around without any approval are deemed illegal and officials that go ahead will be regarded as defiant and will be dealt with accordingly,” said Mr Ndoro.

According to the set systems, parents and schools must have school development plans and budgets every year.

They put the budget proposals, including any proposed school fees adjustments, to a vote among parents and they come up with a consensus on whether to adjust the fees.

Schools then approach the ministry with the adjustment proposal for endorsement.

It is hoped that the Ministry of Education would rein in those schools that have gone ahead to hike fees outside due processes. 

Schools must work closely with parents in coming up with reasonable fees so that every child has access to education.