By Staff Reporter
Tshovani Primary School in Chiredzi School has taken a firm stance on recovering outstanding fees from parents by engaging debt collectors who have since issued a seven-day ultimatum.
The school authorities engaged Chuma, Gurajena and Partners Legal Practitioners and parents were sent letters on April threatening legal action if the ultimatum is not met.
Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Director for Communications Taungana Ndoro said it was a legal course of action to necessitate payments from the parents.
“This is a civil case. Parents should pay what they owe the school regarding the fees approved by the ministry,’ said Ndoro.
In a letter that TellZim News has in possession addressed to one parent, the debt collectors noted that the school had tried to engage parents to pay up their dues but they failed hence the latest stance.
“Further prior attempts have been made to engage you with the goal to facilitate payment of the outstanding fees without success. In the event of failure to comply with this demand, we have instructions to initiate legal and debt collection procedures against you without further notice,” reads part of the letter.
The letter also highlighted that the school required the fees for its operations hence the desperation in collecting its dues from parents.
“Please note that Tshovani Primary School heavily relies on the timeous payment of school fees for the running of its core business. Consequently our client has instructed us to demand as we hereby do, full payment of the fees as quoted within seven working days,” reads the letter.
One parent who spoke to TellZim News on condition of anonymity said it was useless to engage debt collectors because some of them were being affected by the economy though they wanted to pay.
“Engaging debt collectors to demand money by force from me is of no use, some of us are not working and need time to get that money. The debt collectors can come to my house to collect properties. I am currently owing this just ended term’s school fees and they are already sending debt collectors which is unfair to us as parents,” said the parents.
Chiredzi Town Council, the responsible authority recently made a resolution to unleash debt collectors on residents to recover its growing debt.
