The Sunday Mail
Scores of parents and guardians in Sanyati two weeks ago had their livestock and household property attached by a local school for failing to pay tuition fees and development levies for their children.
The outstanding sums range from US$10 to US$150, and authorities at Tomdreya Primary School engaged debt-collectors in violation of Government policy, which prohibits learning institutions from hunting defaulters down using such means.
On June 11, 2015, the debt-collectors swooped on the debtors’ compounds and took livestock and television and radio sets. A letter they had sent earlier read, “Note that civil imprisonment shall be taken against you if you don’t have enough assets to clear your debt. You shall pay overdue amounts plus summons cost as court fees and interests, as well as further legal costs incurred by engaging the Messenger of Court in pursuit of the debt.”
Mrs Violet Chidembo, who owed US$40 said, “They took chickens, goats and radios. I was also forced to pay for the debt-collectors’ administrative costs amounting to US$10.”
A parent who preferred anonymity added: “We received letters ordering us to settle our arrears or risk having our property attached. My balance is US$140 and they will sell my property to recover the money.”
The school head, identified as Mr Turiro, refused to comment.
Primary and Secondary Education Minister Dr Lazarus Dokora said, “We established that the school engaged debt-collectors after a group of parents repeatedly refused to pay school fees for their children.
“We do not allow schools to use debt-collectors, but parents should also know that they have a mandate to pay fees and they should not refuse to do so.”
Government does not allow schools to send away students for failing to pay tuition fees and has, instead, recommended payment plans or legal action against defaulters.
Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa told the Children’s Parliament yesterday that Government was working to capitalise the Basic Education Assistance Module.
“Our priority is to keep our children in school for as long as possible to avoid child marriages. This is our responsibility as a Government and also as parents.
“We are looking at giving our children more skills through Vocational Training Centres and, unfortunately, we are not mee0ting some of our obligations through Beam, but we are working flat out to take care of our vulnerable children.”
