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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter

UMZINGWANE Constituency National Assembly member Cde Levi Mayihlome has bemoaned parents’ lack of commitment to pay school fees, taking advantage of Government’s policy that pupils who have not paid fees cannot be sent away.

The country’s Constitution prohibits school administrators from sending away pupils for non-payment of fees.

The policy states that payment of fees is the responsibility of parents and guardians and children should not be affected.

However, education authorities are on record saying that some of the parents have taken advantage of the policy and stopped paying school fees.

Some of the children are said to only pay enrolment fees and spend their primary and secondary education without paying fees.

In the past schools would withhold public examination results for the defaulting pupil but the law also prohibits this.

Speaking during the National Assembly Question and Answer session on Wednesday, Cde Mayihlome said school administrators are in a quagmire, running schools on a zero budget.

“Minister of Primary and Secondary Education regarding the chasing of school children who have not paid fees.  The headmasters or the school administrators are in a dilemma, they do not know what to do when they cannot meet the operating costs for schools because children have not paid schools on the one hand and on the other hand, the law does not give a free hand to deal with the parents but at the same time we expect these school administrators to be efficient in running these schools,” said Cde Mayihlome.

He said Government should come up with a clear position on how school administrators can deal with parents who refuse to pay fees for their children.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said Primary and Secondary Education Minister Dr Evelyn Ndlovu is expected to prepare a ministerial statement to address challenges obtaining in the education sector.

She said Government will also ensure there is enforcement of payment of fees.

“Government policy is to make sure that there is enforcement and implementation.  What he is specifically saying is that we have to engage the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and see what exactly is being done to make sure that there is enforcement,” she said.

-@nqotshili