It is common knowledge that most day school teachers are conducting extra-lessons for which they charge in foreign currency. In a lot of urban primary schools, for example, teachers are asking parents to fork out $US2 per month or week depending on the school. The Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission says they have asked six schools to stop and reimburse parents.
We have received many reports, some coming through the media, our website as well as individuals coming to our offices. They have been complaining that teachers are charging in forex for extra lessons.
What the teachers are doing is that they charge at least US$12 a month per pupil. At some schools 70 percent of the money goes to the teacher and 30 percent to the administration.
We are working with the education ministry to ensure the Statutory Instrument that makes it illegal to charge a fee for extra lessons is in place. Conducting extra lessons was declared illegal in 2017 and this Statutory Instrument we are working on will make it easier for us as the investigators to assist the ministry.
ZACC Ethics and Public Education manager Dr Munyaradzi Magiga
This will be another useless Statutory Instrument
Most of what the teachers are doing is probably already illegal under the current laws. For example, asking for foreign currency. However, the government’s Zimbabwean dollar project appears to have failed and all it has done is impoverish poor teachers some of whom are now resorting to theft to make a living.
A lot of parents will probably continue to pay these teachers in foreign currency as the downside is that their child will fall behind as impoverished disgruntled teachers sabotage them.
