The Sunday News
Tinomuda Chakanyuka Sunday News Reporter
THE School Development Association (SDA) at Milton Junior School in Bulawayo has set itself on a collision course with parents following a proposal that parents with children at the school should pay $100 each towards the construction of three early childhood development (ECD) classroom blocks and toilets. Parents who spoke to Sunday News last week alleged that the school had asked them to withdraw their children from the school if they were not prepared to pay the proposed amount, an allegation the SDA has, however, refuted.
The parents are questioning how the school arrived at the figure of $100 per pupil without first going to tender to ascertain the cost of building the classroom blocks.
“As parents our query is how did they arrive at that figure? You can’t just wake up one morning and tell us that we pay $100 each. Did they go to tender first to quantify how much it would cost? No they didn’t. They are just imposing a figure without following proper procedure,” said one parent who opted for anonymity for fear of their child being victimised by the school authorities.
“When we held a meeting over the matter we questioned the SDA on how they arrived at the figure they told us that they had taken the figure from Khumalo Primary School who have completed their ECD block.
“The school head Mr Nyoni jumped in and said whosoever was not pleased with the proposal was free to withdraw their children from the school. What kind of school administration is that?”
The parents are sensing a scam and have called on the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to investigate the school before it swindles them of their money.
Another parent, who again declined to be named, argued that it did not make sense for her child who was in Grade 7 to contribute towards facilities that they would never use.
“It’s totally senseless. My child has passed ECD stage yet I’m being asked to pay for construction of ECD blocks. Why doesn’t the school levy those who are enrolling for ECD? That way it makes more sense to make people pay for facilities that their children will use,” she said.
Milton Junior School SDA chairperson Mr Sam Ndlovu confirmed the school’s endeavour to build three ECD blocks and having proposed to levy parents $100 to fund the project.
He, however, said the proposal was still at its infancy and there was room for further adjustments as it had not yet been approved by the education ministry.
“We held a meeting and pitched that proposal to parents. It was not an imposition, but a proposal that remains open to further improvements. The proposal is still in the infancy stage and we are set to meet parents again next term on the matter.
“$100 was just a tentative figure and we are yet to get approval from the ministry,” he said.
Mr Ndlovu said his committee had arrived at the figure after costing the project at $117 000 divided by the number of pupils at the school.
“My committee got quotations from four construction companies and factored in cost of building material to arrive at the total cost of the project. Like I said the figure is not final, but just a guideline. We will still go to tender to come up with the actual cost.
“Our idea is for whatever figure we would have agreed with parents to be paid over three instalments, because we know that people are going through hardships because the economy is not performing,” he said.
Mr Ndlovu also responded to allegations that the school head had told parents to withdraw their children from the school if they were not willing to pay the fees for the ECD blocks.
“I never heard him say that. There is no way he would say that because this is an SDA proposal not his. It is still a proposal. Like I said, no final position has been reached yet,” he said.
Permanent secretary in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Dr Sylvia Utete-Masango said she would investigate the matter.
