Elliot Jinjika in Chivhu
Dozens of protesting parents besieged Chivhu Primary School last Tuesday after school authorities send back the most of pupils back home for failure to bring school fees and settle fees arrears.
The school opening day protests were triggered by the decision to send back all students who had not brought the new term’s fees and those who had arrears from last term and beyond.
This saw the school remaining with very few pupils as most children are understood to be still struggling to settle their fees obligations.
Parents were however angry that the school had decided to go against government policy that no child can be send back home for failure to pay fees.
“It is bad because this is the first day of the new term. They know that the economy is not performing well,” said one fuming parent.
Sarah Chemvere, another parent, accused the school of defying government directives on non-paying pupils.
“The government said no child should be sent back home for failure to pay,” said Chemvere.
Another parent, however, told TellZim News it was good that the children were sent back as it will jolt parents into taking the issue of fees seriously.
“Most parents had relaxed and they no longer gave priority to their children’s fees. This is good because more parents will pay so that the school can develop,” said the parent.
No comment could be obtained from the school head or the SDC chairperson as they were said to be locked in their offices while the parents demonstrated outside.news
