Labour Economists & Afrikan Democrats (LEAD) expresses great disdain with the exorbitant examination fees which were pegged by Zimsec for 2021 Ordinary and Advanced level examinations. At a time when the whole world is facing the Covid 19 pandemic, we would have expected the Ministry of Primary and Secondary education to have taken action in ensuring that every student’s right to education is enshrined in section 75 of the constitution of Zimbabwe.
O’level examination fees this year are pegged at $742 per subject in formal schools and $1648 in non-formal, private schools, and colleges. Advanced level examinations are pegged at $1080 for formal schools and $2400 for non-formal, private schools, and colleges. For a country that has been on lockdown from 2020 to March 2021, these examination fees are absurd and show how our government and ZIMSEC are out of touch with the real struggles that Ordinary Zimbabweans are facing.
LEAD demands that Zimsec and the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education must revisit these examination fees and reduce them to at least $200 a subject which is at least reasonable so that every student is afforded their constitutional right to education. Most Zimbabweans are suffering, they can not even afford two decent meals a day, let alone pay examination fees for eight subjects for one child at this rate.
As if the exorbitant fees are not enough, schools have been demanding school fees to be cleared for students to register for O and A level examinations. Who have we become as a people?
Government must consider the plight of children who live in rural areas whose parents are not working & can’t so even afford to pay one subject with these audacious examination fees. It is estimated that 67% of the population of Zimbabwe lives in rural areas whilst the remaining 33% in urban areas. So according to our percentages, most of the school-going children are in the rural areas and their future is being stolen away from them.
In conclusion, we recommend for the reduction of examination fees to $200 for ordinary level examination fees and $400 for Advanced level examination fees so that all students will be able to write their examinations. Section 56 of the constitution of Zimbabwe is clear about non-discrimination. LEAd will not sit back and watch underprivileged children who live in rural, peri-urban, and farming areas being discriminated against because of class society, poverty, or lack of funds.
The future of Zimbabwe lies in the hands of these children, let us protect their right to education. As we know that education imparts knowledge to the children and knowledge is power. Every child has got right to education without discrimination. These children are the leaders of tomorrow.
#TogetherWeCan secures the education of our children.
LEAD Secretary for Information and Publicity
