The Basic Education Teachers Union of Zambia (BETUZ) in Lundazi district, Eastern Province has commended government for the reduction of the school fees.
Lundazi Union Chairperson for Chasefu and Lumezi districts, Sebitwane Jere says for the country to develop, it needs to have a literate citizenry, hence the supportive move taken by government.
Meanwhile Mr Jere has appealed to parents and guardians to ensure that they send their children to school, in order to enhance the development of their families and the country at large.
He told ZANIS in an interview yesterday morning that education is key to any meaningful developmental activity, hence the need to produce a rich and competent citizenry.
Mr Jere has also urged school managers in the Ministry of General Education to welcome the reduction of the school fees, adding that it will allow more learners to be enrolled.
He further says anyone who will be defrauding government in the payment of school fees is not supposed to be entertained in anyway.
Mr Jere says the role of the union is not only to stand for the teachers when need arises but to also ensure that the teaching fraternity provides access and quality education.
The Chairperson has however cautioned teachers with the habit of abusing the girl child that the union will ensure that perpetrators leave because they are not fit to be in the profession.
The PTA together with the Headmaster at SOS school must be removed because they have failed to align to a government school and still have a private school mentality, the aim of government is to increase accessibility of the leaning institution to children that would have otherwise failed to attend school due to high school fees but the PTA and the headmaster at this school seem to have other aims for the school, it is high time the ministry of education moved in and kicked out the bad eggs who want to tarnish the name of government by insisting on exorbitant school fees as high as K3,300 per term.
Education should be free up until Grade 12.
In our days, education was free. The current crop of politicians benefited from this, and now they want to start charging fees.
Healthcare and education should be free for all citizens.
But some people want to make it appear that buying a luxury jet and old fire trucks is indeed in national interest. Humble yourselves please.
Shame of the government.
When school was free, Kaunda bought us books and pensils and adquately funded schools. In his last year it was difficult to continue running schools for free. Riots over food became the order of the day. This gov does not give Grants to schools as required. PTAs employ general workers and even some teachers especially maths and science. Yes the Parents are paying too much. The solution is for the gov to adequately fund schools. Already some schools have fired general workers because PTAs cannot afford them. If gov does not fund the schools adequately riots will be the order of the day throughout the country. The standards of Education will also be compromised.
Beware! Reduction in fees results in reduced quality of education
Reduced school fees has an implication on poor delivery of services. Some fees are agreed upon by both parents and teachers to buy better food for their children especially boarding schools. Otherwise ni beans, kapenta, cabbage, beans, kapenta, cabbage, beans, kapenta, cabbage, etc.
This is disaster. I am not excited over this. Funding to schools is never there and how do people run schools like that. The PS was misguided and soonest this will back fire just watch the space.