Source: Pumula school, parents clash over exam fees – The Southern Eye
AUTHORITIES at Pumula High School in Bulawayo have courted the ire of parents and guardians after they allegedly barred children from registering for this year’s final examinations because of outstanding fees.
Southern Eye established that authorities also targeted learners under the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM), a scheme under which government pays fees for the underprivileged, including orphans.
It was established that learners under BEAM at the school were forced to miss lessons as authorities were in the habit of summoning them to the administration office to explain why their parents were not paying fees.
This is despite the fact that some of the learners are orphans.
Primary and Secondary Education ministry spokesperson Taungana Ndoro warned authorities at Pumula High for violating the rights of learners.
“This is downright illegal and against government policy and against the constitutional right to education,” he said.
“Any heads that continue to do so are doing that at their own peril.”
Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (Zimsec) spokesperson Nicolette Dhlamini echoed similar sentiments.
“Zimsec has always been very clear in our policy that no child should be denied a chance to pay fees to sit for their examinations,” she said.
“We follow the guidelines of the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.”
Repeated efforts to obtain a comment from Pumula High authorities were unsuccessful as their phones continually rang unanswered.
The school’s development committee chairperson Khumbulani Mthunzi confirmed the dispute but, however, said there was miscommunication over the matter.
“We went with the parents of the affected children to school and found that the authorities had asked for BEAM forms,” Mthunzi said.
“They had not arrived as they were delayed along the way, but they came later on.
“We do not know where the parents got the information that they would be denied access to pay. They need to liaise with school authorities.”
Despite the intention to support students, the government has failed to fulfil its commitment of paying tuition fees under BEAM due to under-funding from Treasury.
In most remote parts of the country, over 90% of students depend on BEAM.
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