Education ministry reverses decision on school fees after MDC intervention

By Tererai Karimakwenda
14 September 2005

MDC MP Fidelis Mhashu, who is on the parliamentary committee on education, reports that because of his intervention, the ministry of education has decided not to backdate the recent increase in school fees back to January. There was an angry response from parents when the minister of education announced a 300% increase in fees earlier this year. No-one seemed to know just when this new fee structure would come into effect. Some schools backdated it to January, and others said they would start it when the new term began in September.

After making a presentation in parliament on behalf of the education committee and the many parents against backdating the new fees, MP Mhashu said the minister Aeneas Chigwedere decided the new fees would start in September.

There is also a very controversial Education Amendment bill that is due to be tabled in parliament after having gone through the first reading. The bill seeks to empower the education minister to determine the fee structures for all schools, decide on the uniforms and regulate all matters relating to teachers and the organisations that represent them. The parliamentary education committee held a public hearing at which most contributors said they were opposed to it entirely. They favoured an overhaul of the entire education system in Zimbabwe after consulting stakeholders around the country.