Africa-Press – Tanzania. ST Anne Marie Academy schools network has heeded to the government’s directive that schools should not expel students over unpaid fees. Minister for Education, Science, Technology and Vocational Training, Prof Joyce Ndalichako, has been emphasizing that schools, particularly the private ones, must avoid sending students home due to school fees arrears.
Over the weekend, Director of the St Anne Marie Academy schools, Dr Jason Rweikiza, declared that no student will be expelled from the school after failing to pay school fees as a result of a parent’s death.
He made declaration in Kibaha Coast Region during the 14th Sunshine graduation ceremony held at the school’s premises. The school’s network includes Sunshine, St Anne Marie Academy, Brilliant, Rweikiza Nursery and Primary of Bukoba and St Anne Marie Academy of Mbezi Kimara in Dar es Salaam.
He said this year alone, St Anne Marie schools lost 93 parents, something that have frustrated their children’s school fees payments, and subsequent drop out.
“We have been losing many parents every year and in this 2021 alone, we have lost 93 parents and this frustrates academic performance of the children as many of them can no longer afford to pay their school fees, but from today, I declare no student will be sent home after the death of his or her parent. “If a pupil is in Standard One, he/she will proceed until Standard Seven and if he/she is in Form One he will proceed to Form Four uninterrupted,” said Dr Rweikiza, who doubles as Bukoba Rural Member of Parliament (CCM).
Meanwhile, Dr Rweikiza said they have prepared a strategic plan to improve academic performance of the school’s networks, including awarding best and excelling students in the national examinations.
