WASHINGTON —
Parents in most parts of the country are fuming after schools sent home hundreds of pupils on the first day of school over unpaid fees.
Some school administrators claimed a ministry memorandum demanded school fees be paid in full before pupils are allowed into classes.
As a result, some parents in Masvingo Province and other areas this afternoon staged demonstrations, complaining the move by headmasters to send their children back home was unfair.
The education ministry has in the past stopped schools from sending pupils back home who would have failed to pay fees.
Parents in areas including Chimanimani, Chipinge and Mutare Central, told VOA that their own children had been sent home Tuesday for failure to pay fees while others said children were sent home even if they had paid half of the required fees.
National coordinator Maxwell Rafomoyo of the Education Coalition of Zimbabwe said it is unfortunate that schools are sending pupils back home.
President Takavafira Zhou of the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe said school administrators should understand the economic plight facing many parents in the country.
Some school administrators claimed a ministry memorandum demanded school fees be paid in full before pupils are allowed into classes.
As a result, some parents in Masvingo Province and other areas this afternoon staged demonstrations, complaining the move by headmasters to send their children back home was unfair.
The education ministry has in the past stopped schools from sending pupils back home who would have failed to pay fees.
Parents in areas including Chimanimani, Chipinge and Mutare Central, told VOA that their own children had been sent home Tuesday for failure to pay fees while others said children were sent home even if they had paid half of the required fees.
National coordinator Maxwell Rafomoyo of the Education Coalition of Zimbabwe said it is unfortunate that schools are sending pupils back home.
President Takavafira Zhou of the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe said school administrators should understand the economic plight facing many parents in the country.
