Parents can pay fees in currency of their choice

Zim Now Writer

Parents and guardians can still pay school fees in the currency of their choice at the prevailing official exchange rate, the government has said.

This comes as reports of school authorities demanding payment of school fees exclusively in foreign currency have been increasing.

Parents with free funds, however, are allowed to pay in foreign currency but those who do not have ready access to it cannot be forced to pay in hard currencies.

“All institutions providing primary and secondary education are reminded that they fall under the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.

“Therefore, they are bound by the procedures to be followed when making school fees adjustments, that is to say approval must be granted by the ministry before any adjustments are made,” said Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Director of Communications and Advocacy.

He added that government’s policy position on payment of fees is that fees must be paid in Zimbabwean dollars at the prevailing interbank rate.

“However, if parents have free funds in foreign currency, they can pay but no school must force any parent to pay in foreign currency and if schools have pegged fees in foreign currency, parents must be allowed to pay in local currency at the prevailing interbank rate of the day the fees are paid,” said Ndoro.

School heads have meanwhile been warned against seeking bribes from parents for places, saying it is a criminal and punishable offence and government has also said it is not allowed to force parents to buy school uniforms from designated shops or at schools.