Online Reporter
Veronica Gwaze
SINCE 2011, when Samuel Munyaru became a father to twin boys, he ensured that his family enjoyed a memorable festive season.
Now a father of four, he consistently spoils his wife and children with new clothes, holiday trips and other treats to make them happy.
However, the most recent festive season was different.
The family was compelled to sacrifice their customary outings and new clothing as Munyaru, a local engineer, diligently saved funds for educational expenses. His twin children are scheduled to commence Form One at a high school in Gutu on January 14, 2025, coinciding with the reopening of schools.
“I had to save up every penny; hence, we had to forgo the usual festive luxuries,” he said.
The twins secured their Form One slots at the school via the Government online platform.
Initially, Munyaru was informed that the school fees were pegged at US$700 for new learners. With US$1 700 in his savings, he thought the struggle was over. He had also bought groceries and exercise books last year in preparation for the new school year.
Being one of the most well-organised parents who do their back-to-school shopping ahead of time, he should have been relaxed by now.
This, however, has not been the case.
Hidden costs
Munyaru was left disappointed when school authorities demanded US$300 for each of his twins to secure a Form One vacancy after online registration.
In addition to the hefty US$600 for the two learners, he would then have to pay US$1 400 towards their school fees. Furthermore, the school only accepts uniforms purchased from the institution.
At some of the major suppliers of uniforms, primary school uniform sets cost between US$20 and US$35, while those for secondary schools range between US$20 and US$40.
At another major uniform supplier, school jerseys are priced between US$30 and US$40, while blazers cost US$25 upwards and ties go for about US$3.
However, at the school where Munyaru’s children are enrolled, uniforms and other accessories are priced at nearly twice those amounts.
“To my surprise, the school authorities informed me of this US$300 deposit at the last minute and insisted they now only accept uniforms bought at the institution,” he said.
“This means that I have to find US$600 promptly.”
The troubled parent is currently in the process of securing a loan from the bank to ensure his children are fully paid up when schools reopen on January 14.
Highfield resident Shuvai Mhaka was also left devastated after almost failing to fulfil demands from a boarding school in Chegutu, despite having secured a spot for her daughter online.
She had heated exchanges with the school authorities when she was asked to pay exorbitant fees purportedly as a deposit for her daughter’s tuition and school uniforms.
“I am a widow and literally have no one to turn to. I had no choice but to dig into my business to be able to fulfil all their demands, which totalled up to about US$1 200,” a bitter Mhaka said.
“Now I am grounded. I need to find ways to revive my business . . . why are we paying deposits when Form One places are being secured online?”
Arm-twisting
A survey by The Sunday Mail Society revealed that more parents are being arm-twisted by greedy school authorities making unjustified demands.
The parents and guardians are left without a choice, as going against the school authorities would result in their children failing to get admission or being barred from attending classes.
This is despite the Government directive that schools cannot compel parents to buy school uniforms from them if they have other alternatives.
It (Government) also revealed that it was a criminal offence for learning institutions to demand deposits from parents to secure Form One spots.
Over the years, cases have been reported across the country of schools defying Government orders for parents to be allowed to purchase uniforms from suppliers of their choice.
Government position
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Moses Mhike said parents and guardians should be given the freedom to purchase uniforms from suppliers of their choice, as long as they align with the specifications and colour codes of the school.
He reiterated that their position regarding the purchase of uniforms remains unchanged.
Furthermore, he stated that Form One places are secured online and parents should not be made to pay any monies not part of the stipulated school fees. The school fees should be pegged at Government-approved charges.
“It is an act of fraud for schools to force parents to purchase uniforms from them and a huge criminal offence to charge deposits,” said Mhike.
“According to the law, school fees are approved by the ministry and no school should charge anything on top of that.
“If parents are to pay a deposit as a sign of commitment for a Form One slot, that figure should be part of the school fees, not an extra charge.”
Mhike urged parents to report such cases, emphasising that Government is ready to descend on implicated schools.
While proceeds from the sale of uniforms are used for noble causes such as repairing school equipment, construction work and purchasing school textbooks, parents should still have the freedom to outsource the uniforms.
Blame
Zimbabwe Schools Development Association and Committees’ (ZSDA/C) president, Claudio Mutasa, notes that it is against public principles for schools to make more financial demands from parents, considering that most of them are struggling to raise fees.
He notes most schools are defrauding parents.
However, he blamed the parents for leaving schools in difficult positions, forcing them to come up with “uncouth” ways to raise money to sustain their facilities throughout the year.
“Most parents barely pay up school fees for their children. With the Government barring schools from turning learners away for failure to pay fees, they are forced to find ways to fundraise,” he said.
“It may be unfair, but schools have no choice because they need to pull through the term or year . . . also, some of these monies are channelled towards development.”
Schools have been accused of ripping off parents by forcing them to buy uniforms from the institutions at extortionate prices.
With at least five million pupils in primary and secondary schools, the supply of uniforms is an extremely profitable business.
Some schools, which do not have a ready uniform supply at the facility, demand that parents buy from a “preferred” supplier whom they identify.
The Mandizera couple were forced to pay US$1 280 for both fees and uniforms for their Form One learner.
Additionally, the Mashonaland East-based school demanded 10kg of mealie-meal, 4kg of rice, 5 litres of cooking oil and 500ml of peanut butter from each learner.
“Of the total figure we paid, about US$550 is for uniforms (two dresses, a pinafore, a shirt, a blazer and a jersey),” said the infuriated couple.
“They forced us to purchase uniforms at the school and I think it is unfair. We are not even pleased with the quality of the uniforms.”
Covert fees hikes
ZSDA/C secretary Evaristo Jongwe opines that the participation of schools in the school uniform business is a way of hiking school fees.
According to Jongwe, some school authorities are conniving to milk parents. In most cases, he notes that the uniform suppliers are often school heads and staff members. However, most schools force parents to use one supplier to ensure uniformity.
“In this case, schools have procurement standards set in line with the Government’s guidelines, which they should follow if they want to supply uniforms.
“School authorities, through the office of the head, chairperson and schools’ development committees, should set up a sub-committee that oversees the procurement and sourcing of the school’s requirements.
“It is the responsibility of these committees to find companies, conduct background checks to see if these entities are registered and have tax clearance before engaging them,” he said.
Accordingly, after conducting necessary checks, the companies are requested to submit their quotations and samples for evaluation.
It is during this process that schools choose the best quality at average prices.
“Uniforms are sold in schools for fundraising purposes, which means that they have to settle for the best quality at relatively lower prices,” added Jongwe.
In other schools, parents are asked to pay money towards the purchase of bond paper and other learning materials like textbooks at the school.
While a rim of bond paper is pegged at an average price of US$8 in retail shops, parents are being asked to pay US$12 for each learner.
Failure to fulfil these payments results in schools withholding learners’ reports at the end of the term.
“It is primarily the school that should make provisions for things like bond paper and textbooks,” said National Association of Secondary Heads president Arthur Maphosa.
He notes that such materials are factored in when school authorities come up with their budgets at the start of the year.
Maphosa said they have been receiving complaints that some school authorities are selling school uniforms under the guise of fundraising.
Most of the institutions, he said, are boarding schools where teachers work with heads as a syndicate to force parents to purchase uniforms from them.
“We are looking into the issues. We are against the practice of arm-twisting parents. We also want to restore sanity within schools.
“The blame is often thrown in our faces as heads because the schools are our responsibility and so are the teachers.
“Parents and guardians should report such activities so that we can step in and see if the activities align with both our association and Government policies. If not, then we will take the necessary action,” said Maphosa.
