‘Don’t Blame the Child’: Government Defends Pupils in Fee Crisis

The Government has warned school heads that sending pupils home for unpaid fees is illegal and punishable under national law.

The directive follows growing concern over violations of children’s right to education, particularly in rural areas where defaults are widespread.

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education says it will enforce Statutory Instrument 1 of 2000, which criminalises denying learners access to education due to fee arrears.

Officials emphasized that the responsibility to pay lies with parents or guardians — not the children and schools must not penalize pupils for financial shortcomings at home.

Confirming the policy in Parliament, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Torerai Moyo said:

“Indeed, it is Government policy that school children should not be sent home on account of failure to pay school fees.

“The responsibility for payment of fees rests with the parents or guardians, not the pupils themselves.”

While schools are expected to uphold children’s rights, Moyo stressed that parents must also meet their financial obligations.

“Government policy does not exonerate parents or guardians from non-payment of fees. It is incumbent upon the parents or guardians to pay fees so that schools can meet the day-to-day expenses,” he noted.

To encourage compliance, the Ministry is urging schools to adopt peaceful enforcement methods, such as written reminders and structured payment plans.

“One way of persuading parents to pay is through regular communication.

“Headmasters and SDCs can write letters to remind the parents to respect their roles and responsibilities,” the Minister explained.

Where dialogue fails, schools are permitted to engage debt collectors.

Moyo cited Belvedere Primary School as a successful example, noting that the institution achieved 100 percent fee collection after contracting professional recovery services.

“The other mechanism is that it is legal for school authorities to engage debt collectors, which is within the confines of the law,” he said.

The Herald reports that in rural communities, traditional leaders are stepping in to assist schools struggling with fee collection.

Chiefs are summoning defaulting parents and ordering them to pay using livestock or other assets.

Chief Bushu, one of the vocal leaders on the issue, confirmed his involvement:

“We direct them to pay or make payment plans because it does not make sense that you will be having a large herd of cattle yet you don’t want to pay fees.”

He emphasized that while children’s rights must be protected, parents must also fulfill their responsibilities.

“If you have a chicken or goat, sell it to pay school fees. We, as traditional leaders, intervene because schools struggle to engage defaulting parents.

“For those without means, we facilitate payment plans. We’re making progress in development through our collaboration with local schools,” he said.

Minister Moyo reiterated the Government’s zero-tolerance stance on rights violations.

“Once a student is turned away for non-payment, that violates that right and we descend on those schools.

“We take action. We will not stand aloof when the rights of the child are being violated.”