Teachers’ Union Slam Steep School Fees Hike

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Teachers’ unions have described as “daylight robbery” Government’s approval of a steep hike in school fees, a development which was confirmed by Primary and Secondary Education Minister Cain Mathema.

The latest school fees increases will see some pupils at boarding and urban day high schools forking out in excess of $55 000 up from $6 000 and $20 000 up from $3 000 per term, respectively.

Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president Takavafira Zhou said the fees were certainly beyond the reach of many parents, particularly civil servants. He said:

Our position is that parents must stop paying fees until teachers and government find each other over teachers’ welfare, health and safety.

Sending kids to school when teachers are not teaching is a waste of time; the fees are certainly beyond the reach of many parents, particularly teachers.

Mathema asserted that the fees hikes had been approved after no parent formally raised objections with his ministry.

However, parents who spoke to NewsDay said school heads just presented them with figures to choose from and the process was not clear at all.

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