Chief Government Spokesperson Chushi Kasanda has said that the government will pay a subsidy for user fees pegged at K600 per learner in all grant-aided schools.
Ms. Kasanda said that the government will also pay K205 for examination fees per grade 12 learner in all aided schools, but engage the education secretaries for all aided schools to agree on a reduced and affordable user fee that they will charge per learner in all aided schools as they apply for their aided status.
Ms Kasanda said that it is the government’s intention that pupils in grant-aided schools access education and learning at no cost, adding that this has started with the initial stage of giving subsidies to grant aided schools so that over time Government can move towards removing user fees in all these schools.
Speaking during a press briefing in Lusaka, Ms Kasanda, who is also the information and media Minister said that while Government is working to put such measures in place, parents and guardians have a choice to take their children to a government school where they will not pay any user fee or take them to a grant-aided school where they will pay a subsidized user fee.
She also said the Government will introduce a bursary scheme for vulnerable learners only regarding boarding fees for secondary school pupils.
Ms. Kasanda noted that the selection of such learners will not be the responsibility of the ministry of education but will be determined at the community level as funds will come from the constituency development fund which will apply to all vulnerable learners from the public and grant-aided schools.
She further stated that learners at secondary boarding schools who are not vulnerable will be required to pay 1-thousand kwacha for boarding fees per term.
And Ms. Kasanda said the Government has increased the traditional school grants twofold to uphold high-quality education standards.
She said the Government has abolished all user fees under the 2022 academic calendar for secondary and early childhood education levels.
Ms. Kasanda said all PTA fees have been abolished from childhood education to secondary schools, and they will be compensated for the loss of Revenue.
