Faced with soaring costs, Zimbabwean schools have started asking parents to pay supplementary fees on top of those already paid for the current term.
They said they are finding it difficult to feed pupils and maintain their institutions with fees paid when the term began. State and mission schools are asking for more then initial term fees, in some cases up to Z$6 million (US$50).
Masvingo’s Chegato School is asking parents for another Z$3.5 million (US$30) compared with an initial fee of Z$2 million (US$17).
At the Prince Edward School in Harare, officials said the fee for this term as approved by the Ministry of Education is Z$11 million (US$92) , but that it might be revised before the current term ends.
Parents said they are hard put to find the funds, though one with a child attending Rusununguko School in Ruwa, 40 kilometers east of Harare, speaking on condition of anonymity, told reporter Jonga Kandemiiri that parents must do whatever is necessary for their children under current economic conditions and find the money.