Do not chase pupils from classes, head teachers told

Sun, 29 Jan 2017 10:10:08 +0000

By BENNIE MUNDANDO

I DO not expect any pupil to be turned away from school on account of failure to pay the total amount of school fees and I urge parents who find themselves in such a predicament to seek my indulgence in the matter, Luanshya Mayor Nathan Chanda has said.

And Mr. Chanda has expressed shock that the Grade 12s on the Copperbelt province had performed poorly, saying that remedial measures needed to be put in place to rectify the problem. Speaking to the Sunday Nation yesterday, Mr. Chanda said he had been receiving disturbing reports from the general public in Luanshya that there were schools which were still forcing pupils in lower grades to pay school fees while others were turning away pupils who did not have money to pay.

He urged school authorities to comply with the Ministry of General Education circular of 2016 which he said clearly indicated which pupils should pay school fees and which ones were exempted and warned that he would soon undertake a fact-finding mission to acquaint himself with what schools were doing in the area.

“As Mayor of Luanshya, I have been receiving numerous complaints from the general public on school fees and I wish to remind our school managers to stick to existing policies on the implementation of school fees. Only Grades eight to 12 pupils are supposed to pay school fees as indicated in secular no. 101/4/2 of the Ministry of General Education of 2016.

“Fees are to be paid per term and pupils must not be chased away from school on account of failure to pay school fees but head teachers should explain to parents and guardians the concept of cost sharing so that we have a win-win situation.

We need our parents to help the schools just as we need schools to help our pupils,” Mr. Chanda said.

He urged parents whose children were chased from schools to seek his intervention

“If there are any other schools that have continued chasing pupils from schools, I am inviting all parents and guardians to complain direct to my office so that we find a lasting solution. This is just a reminder,” he said.