Fees saga between government and private schools rumbles on

By Tichaona Sibanda
8 January 2007

A stalemate between government and private schools over school fees will see many primary and High schools in the country going into voluntary liquidation as they will certainly run out of money before the end of the first term, analysts warned on Monday.

With the 2007 school term starting on Tuesday most private schools could be the first casualties of the determined policy by the Ministry of Education this year to limit school fees to levels well below half their budgeted costs.

Recently government appealed against a High court ruling prohibiting it from setting tuition for private schools that fall under the Association of Trust Schools. The High Court ordered Education minister Aeneas Chigwedere in November last year to stop interfering with private schools in the setting of tuition fees.

Private schools are in favour of charging fees ranging between Z$1,2 million and Z$2 million but government wants the fees to be just above Z$ 300 000.

Jameson Timbe, chairman of the Association of Trust Schools, has repeatedly pointed out that private schools do not make any profits nor pay any dividends. In recent years they have been budgeting very tightly since any surpluses or reserves would be eroded rapidly by inflation.

Private schools traditionally offer parents smaller classes for their children. This drives up the staff costs and a wide range of extra activities. The small classes, the high ratio of experienced teachers, and the extra activities, which also involve extra staff, are what attracted most parents to select such schools for their children.

Bongani Nyathi, secretary-general of the Progress Teachers of Zimbabwe, an international affiliate of the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe said government is being unrealistic in blocking the school fees hike.

‘Every parent has a right to give his child good education, if ministers send their children overseas for the best education why not let those in Zimbabwe send their children to the best schools that they can afford in the country,’ said Nyathi.