About 100 pupils from Kaoma Secondary School in Western province earmarked to write Grade Twelve examinations have been sent back to their various homes for failing to pay boarding and other school fees.
In an interview, one of the concerned parents Jack Biemba told ZANIS that the situation is bad because the throwing out of boys and girls into the streets will result in the increase of early pregnancies and teenage marriages in the district.
Mr Biemba said some of the chased pupils were coming from the poor of the poorest families in the villages of Kaoma district that even included handicapped parents.
He said some of the teachers benefitted from the free education of under the UNIP government and it was unfair for the underprivileged pupils to deny them the much needed education.
Mr Biemba complained that the most claimed document of Grade Twelve certificate which is much required for one to become a civic leader won’t be achieved in the district as many school going pupils from poor families are disadvantaged.
He has appealed to government to assist the vulnerable pupils from Kaoma Secondary School to enable them seat for their Grade Twelve examinations which are due in the next two weeks.
Mr Biemba said the circumstances will be unbearable as the School recorded the highest number of pregnancies in the last two years in the entire Western province.
But when contacted for a comment, Kaoma Secondary School Head teacher, Mulambwa Nawa said no pupil has been chased from attending classes but only parents have been summoned to explain as to why school fees are not being paid.
Mr Nawa said about ten parents have so far committed themselves on how school fees would be settled adding that all the pupils with arrears are learning normally including those in examination classes.
Meanwhile……………….. Tax payers money is being misused by one indivisual to take his wife to America to buy wigs and suits.
Exactly observer. The drink president is busy chartering flights left right centre. Greedy people die quicker
Given that it is a boarding school,why can’t parents be asked to pay in form of cows,chickens,beans,fish.maize,goats etc any agricultural produce?
I thought it was illegal for a teacher not to allow a year 12 student not sit for their school certificate exams. What happens is you are allowed to sit exams even if you owe money and then when you want to go and collect your results and certificate, they withhold them until you pay the arrears. The govt should issue some clear instructions about this and not leave it to schools interpret.
I know these guys in Lusaka abusing public resources, when they have money stolen, they think everyone can afford school fees. They need to set a social school fund that they can use to help struggling families, obviously subject to income test so that it is not abused.