HARARE - The Zimbabwe government
plans to take full control of all schools including those owned by private
firms, individuals or churches, according to a proposed new law.
The draft law, now being reviewed by
the parliamentary legal committee, will empower the Minister of Education
to prescribe fees and levies chargeable at schools as well the type of
uniforms school children should wear.
At present school authorities and parents associations determine the type of uniforms worn and the levies payable at public schools. The government sets the fees for public schools while governing boards at church or privately-owned schools liaise with parents before deciding on levies and fees.
Section 69 of the Education Act Amendment Bill will enable the "Minister of Education to prescribe (by statutory instrument) fees and levies (and increases in these) of non-government schools."
Other items listed under Section 69 on which the education minister will have the final word include: school uniforms, duties of responsible school authorities, school holidays, size of school classes and hours of instruction provided by schools, the structure, hygiene and sanitation of school premises.
The government last year temporarily closed several private schools for disobeying orders to charge state-prescribed fees forcing the schools to appeal to the High Court which ruled that the government had no right to interfere in the running of the private schools or to prescribe fees payable at such schools.
The draft law, if passed, will effectively reverse the High Court decision and place private and church-owned schools under direct state supervision.
The Bill also proposes to empower the education minister to prescribe and vet the qualifications of teachers employed by all schools including those not owned by the state.
The minister will also have the power to make regulations to govern the conduct of teachers and their associations, under the draft law.
Education Minister Aeneas Chigwedere, who has in the past said he wants school children across Zimbabwe to wear the same type and colour of school uniform, could not be reached for comment on the draft law. - ZimOnline