Source: PARENTS IRKED BY COMPULSORY FEES FOR ECD EXTRA LESSONS – herald
Arron Nyamayaro
A NUMBER of parents have written a petition to authorities at Houghton Park Primary School questioning the decision to make it mandatory for all of them to pay fees for ECD extra lessons.
The petition came after a heated debate on the parents’ WhatsApp group.
Parents say they want answers as to whether the school syllabus is too large to be completed within each term, which then forces the teachers to conduct extra lessons to make up for the shortfall.
They also claim that, alongside charging for extra lessons, the teachers were ordering the pupils to buy and read additional books which are being sold to the parents.
One parent, who spoke to this newspaper, said: “Our concerns are being ignored at Houghton Park Primary School and we can’t stay silent anymore. For how long are we supposed to suffer in silence?”
Part of the petition reads:
“These children finish school at 12pm. What time are these extra lessons even happening? It makes no sense.
“The reality is that learners, whose parents cannot afford to pay for these ‘unauthorised’ extra lessons are being ignored.
“That is not fair. Many of us brought our children to this school precisely because we cannot afford expensive fees elsewhere, yet you are still finding ways to make us pay more.”
They added:
“We are not asking for favours. We are demanding fairness and transparency. Education should not be a business at the expense of struggling parents and children.
“Fix this.”
H-Metro is in possession of some of the messages in the parents’ WhatsApp group.
Here are some of the messages:
Makadii vabereki nevadzidzisi, ndauyao muno ndichikumbira kuma teacher evana vema ECd tanzwa nekunetswa nenya dzemari dzema icelolo, tinenge tarongedzera vanhu kuno kumba vosvika ikoko kwakuitwa zvekutengeswa zvema icelolo mu class zviriko here kuvana vemazera iwaya? Anenge asina mari yekutenga achazo kwanisisa here kudzidza pfungwa dzake dziripa nzvimbo?
*****
The leadership of the school has dismally let us down, Head muripi? And it’s just too many things going on at once that require money. There is fees, change of uniforms, homework books, extra lessons! It’s too much.
*****
The Headmaster vari kuitei! Honestly we’re tired of this. Ma teachers matinyanyira
Moda mari yakawanda seiko? We’re all battling to make ends meet and you keep usurping from the very pockets that are dry. Some are failing to buy proper uniforms and pay fees and you continue to do this! Your rope has gone too long. We are more than tired.
*****
Mumwe anotukira vana mari yema extra lessons. Yes, we know you, we know what you are doing. Kana zviri zvakanaka, why don’t you post in your class groups about mari dzema lessons and homework books? Why don’t you? Why are you depriving the less privileged of their time in class 0730-1pm? Handiti iyoyo akaibhadharira here? Let’s go, we’ve been too lenient for long.
*****
Some parents wake up, kamwana kari ECD should be home by @least 2pm but kanenge kachitamba mumota dzema transporter kapedza extra lessons waiting for older siblings to finish extra lessons! Whole day, a 4 or 5 year-old living on cold food and ari half-attended to. Haaaaa itai mushe. They do not care about your children but your money!
*****
Handirambi ku appreciate teacher wemwana wangu but maitiro acho mmmm nekuvhundutsira mwana kwete, mwana haashande mhani imi, kumbirai zvakanaka coz mwana iyeye ndiye murungu wenyu kwete kutyisidzira mwana ne property yeState. Ngatirege kudaro vadzidzisi.
*****
Teachers calling my number, stop it, ah hatinyararidzwe kunokandwa mumoto tichiona nekutya kuti ndi teacher vataura hakuna zvakadaro, hatidyire poison mukunyara, such a school chakushaya chiremerera because of these deals.
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