Schools chaos as parents battle cash shortages & fee hikes

By Lance Guma
15 January 2008

There were scenes of chaos in and around most banks in the country as frantic parents battled long winding queues, to secure cash to pay school fees and buy new uniforms. With the economy in spectacular collapse, banks are struggling to supply enough notes to service an inflation-ravaged system.

A parent speaking to Newsreel on Tuesday said they had been in a bank queue since 4am and all they managed to get was Z$30 million. This is despite the fact he has to pay Z$180 million in school fees for his child. The only other non-cash route entails a bank transfer to the school (RTGS) or a bank cheque. The problem however is that the minimum amount for an RTGS is Z$200 million and there are reports some schools are refusing to accept bank cheques. Confidence in the banking system is at all time low and cash transactions are the favoured method.

Thousands of parents also got a rude awakening this week as they tried to buy new uniforms for their kids. Primary school uniforms are Z$56 to Z$70 million. Socks alone can set you back Z$15 million. The cost of a secondary school uniform can be as much as Z$130 million. The addition of a blazer costs Z$500 million. This in a country where only about 20 percent of people have formal employment, bringing in an average income of about Z$15 million a month.

Adding to this very difficult situation for parents is a recent move by the National Incomes and Pricing Commission to sanction 600 percent school fee hikes, beginning January this year. For example schools that were charging Z$40 million last year will now be charging Z$280 million per term. Under these ‘controlled’ fees the most expensive school will be Z$910 million per term. But with hyper inflation the schools say the fee structures are too little to sustain their operations.

There are reports that some schools are shutting down their boarding operations to cater for day scholars only. Foundation of Knowledge Academy (FOKA) in Norton had still not opened its hostels by Tuesday, leading to speculation they will remain closed until government stops trying to control their fees. Boarding schools are harder to run because in the 3 months that make up a term, the price of food required to feed the students changes daily. Most schools like FOKA were resorting to top up fees, but even this strategy has seen them clashing with government’s pricing commission.

Mugabe’s regime continues to shun sound economic advice and blames everyone but themselves for the economic crisis. Increasing political repression has meant political decisions dominate economic policy and because of this the country has nose-dived into a collapse of all essential services. Water, electricity, fuel, food, drug and other shortages are now part and parcel of the Zimbabwean life.