The Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Torerayi Moyo has warned schools administrations against demanding USD payments only while forcing parents and guardians to buy uniforms from them.
Moyo who announced that next year's school term begins on January 7, said the date gives parents ample time to prepare.
"The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education would like to inform parents, students, stakeholders in the education fraternity that we have observed that there have been confusion surrounding the date when schools are opening.
"We have people who are saying schools are opening on January 2, 2024. the correct position is that schools are opening on January 9, 2024," said Moyo.
According to Moyo, only form one students who require orientation and induction may travel to their boarding schools earlier.
"We want to encourage those form one students who would have been hold in boarding schools that they are likely to go to their schools on Sunday January 7, 2024 so that they have time to go through orientation and induction at their respective schools," said the minister.
There have been reports of schools forcing parents to buy uniforms directly from the learning institutions and Moyo warned against such.
"Another important point that I want to raise is that there are schools that are forcing parents to buy school uniforms at those schools.
"It is illegal for any school to demand students and parents to purchase school uniforms at those respective schools.
"So the correct position is that parents and students are allowed to buy correct uniforms from any stores of their choice and there is no law that compels them to buy uniforms at schools they would have enrolled," he added.
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Moyo also warned school heads and administrations who are in the habit of rejecting local currency when parents seek to settle their children's levies.
"Another important development is to advise schools to accept all forms of currency. We have head of schools that demand that only USD should be charged or should be used for payment of school fees.
"We have a multi currency regime that is in operation in this country so we expect schools to accept an form of payment that is brought buy the parents or guardians towards payments of levies and school fees," he said.
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