The Government has suspended the payment of school fees in public schools following the indefinite closure of schools due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Ministry of General Education Permanent Secretary for Technical Services Dr. Jobbicks Kalumba has since directed school authorities not to ask parents to pay fees when schools reopen.
Addressing the media in Lusaka, Dr Kalumba said guidance will be provided to school authorities on the way forward once schools reopen.
Dr Kalumba said it will not be in the interest of the nation to ask parents to pay any fees including school fees while conventional learning is not taking place.
He said although the Government has shown responsibility by ensuring that learning continues using e-learning platforms, no parent should be made to pay.
Dr Kalumba has since urged Private schools in the country to consider suspending school fees for to enable parents recover as classes remain suspended.
He reiterated that schools will remain closed until President Edgar Lungu gives guidance on the way forward.
Dr Kalumba has wondered why private schools are asking parents to pay school fees when conventional learning has been suspended indefinitely.
He also announced that the Examinations Council of Zambia is in the process of revising the examinations time table.
Excellent caring government. We ask those in private sector to emulate this. Yusuf dodia this is your time to speak up. Kz
If students stopped making payments especially private schools, how do government expect them to pay their employees? I heard the PS mocking private schools that surely they charge so much money haven’t they served good money to pay their staff? Sometimes government officials become excited making announcements they least understand the implication. Actually you make the government unpopular. Good luck
These are schools where loo paper and even chalk run out even whn “funding” is available. Wht will happen now?
Of course every parent will be required to pay school fees when schools reopen
This is one sided announcement. You can not command school not to charge without announcing how funding to those schools is going to be made and by who? This chipante pante type of behaviour is what has suffocated Zambian economy.
You are the same people that have private intitution. Why pay when people are not learning you guys are sick in your heads..
iwe KZ, let others comment, not you because this is like your mother announcing the death of a chicken to be consumed during Lunch and you going out to announce to the neighbors and urge them to emulate your mother.
Next China Sneezed and we are all wearing masks all over the world and our economies through out the world are affected, what if china now decided to fart?, what will be the effect.
This is very considerate of the Government, considering how most parents have been financially hard hit during this time. This will definitely give every child an opportunity to go to school while parents embark on a journey to recover financially. I commend our Government for this!! Every financial assistance at this point truly makes a huge difference to families!!
Good decision but an indefinite closure of schools is not a solution. There is need to find the right balance between warranting education and combating disease. The long-term effects of an education gap can be more costly than a Covid-19 infection.
KZ insulting well meaning citizens will not insulate you as public enemy of Zambia. You or impostor, Zambians will not forget that you have harassed, beaten, maimed, humiliated, kidnapped, fired guns and shot Zambians and dehumanise Zambians. Zambians deserve justice and time is coming to get it. Cleansing yourself on this site will not wash up, records, living witnesses exist and testimonies will be in your face.
Another ill-thought out decision again…so how do the public schools pay their bills when you have not provided them funding. How can you urge Private schools to follow suit as if you pay their tutors and bills? Very irresponsible govt.
Kashimani – This is the result of leadership vacuum …everyone can simply wake up and pass directives without consulting stakeholders
the first 3 paragraphs are in contrast one to the other… And everything that is coming up in the other paragraphs does not fit well the headline and the opening paragraphs… 1. It’s logical that if pupils are charged for every term, semester that they attend, when schools have been closed indefinatelly due to the unforeseen succumstance, none should be made to pay for the term in course but no lessons. In a different situation that parents have been asked to settle the outstanding amounts of the passed terms or semester, then they just have to pay for that…. 2. It’s presumptious to say no parent should be made to pay when schools open coz in some cases it means that members of staff will be working for free when schools open. I believe, not even the Doc. PS has renounced to his…
Is this true in Zambia? Public Fee – Paying schools? How are they public if fee paying? Is it just the amount paid? I hope this is a misuse of the term Fee Paying!
Why should I pay boarding fees for a child who is at home just because the cooks at the school have to be paid their salaries? We have students at universities who use private boarding hostels but are now at their homes, should they pay rentals simply because the owners of these hostels have to pay care takers?
Govt should pay teachers in private schools. This should be part of their cushioning school business.
Well can’t say the govt doesn’t do anything good for you. We should be thankful.