Educators consider the exorbitant school fees being demanded by some private schools will not only harm the parents but the schools themselves. Some of the private schools have resorted to charging school fees in foreign currency.
An educator canvassed by the Daily News for their opinion said
Both private schools and the parents with children there are caught between a rock and a hard place. You don’t demand and pay those high fees and standards drop, while at the same time very few people can now afford these schools.
Not even Cabinet ministers or even private sector chief executives of top performing companies can afford to pay some of these crazy school fees that are being demanded by some private schools unless their income is not earned legitimately.
A parent who spoke to the Daily News condition of anonymity said
Of all the people who work for a government, perhaps only President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his two deputies can afford to pay such fees.
This means that come January, many parents are going to get stranded and such a scenario will be sad as this will not only highlight the extent of the country’s economic rot but also mean that access to quality education by the majority will become even more difficult.
A letter purportedly written by the headmaster of Riverton Academy in Masvingo to one of the concerned parents reads as follows
The school administration has noted with concern your alignment to a group of people that have castigated, maligned and besmirched the school wherein your child learns.
This is despite the fact that there are properly laid down channels which you could have used to air your grievances to the school.
In view of the communications that have been made on the social media and/or other fora, you appear to be one of the aggrieved parents.
The school is, therefore, advising you to look for an alternative school for your child who can provide services and facilities that suit your taste.
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