Zim school fees hit the roof

2003-12-17 21:54

Alet Rademeyer

Pretoria - In yet another example of Zimbabwe's financial crisis, it has emerged that school fees there are set to rise by up to a shocking 2 500% next year.

Hassan Lorgat, spokesperson for the Global Campaign for Education (GCE) in South Africa, described the situation as "tragic".

It is going to result in hundreds of children dropping out of school, he said, adding that this was a basic depravation of human rights.

He predicts that this alone could force many adults and children in the country to flee to places such as South Africa.

Lorgat said the GCE supported a harder stance being taken against Zimbabwe.

As in South Africa, parents decide on the school fees at about 6 000 government schools in Zimbabwe.

School bodies have said they have no other option but to raise fees.

In some schools, fees have gone up from Z$500 (R4) a term to Z$50 000 (R400).

In the more expensive schools, fees have increased from Z$19 000 (R152) per term to Z$250 000 (R2 000).

For middle-class Zimbabweans this spells disaster - especially since 80% are unemployed.

John Robertson, a Zimbabwean economist, said on Wednesday that the increase would have a dramatic impact on the majority of children whose families are unable to afford the fees.

He also said that even now, a large percentage of children dropped out of school at the age of 12 because their parents could not afford the fees.

He said this was tragic, especially in view of the fact that Zimbabwe was once respected for its high standard of education.

A Unicef report showed that more and more children were deprived of schooling due to the cost of education and because of HIV/Aids.

Unicef said this week that urgent attention must be given to Zimbabwean children, especially girls, regarding their continued education.

- Beeld