Pupils should rest during holidays - NO holiday lessons

Schools should not conduct any holiday lessons for pupils as learners should be given time to rest, Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Paul Mavhima has said.

Mavhima said all schools must observe and follow the school calendar.

Schools close today amid concerns that some of them are planning to conduct holiday lessons for examination classes at a fee.

"Our current position is that pupils should be given time to rest after being in school for three months," said Mavhima.

He said the government was concerned by teachers who were charging exorbitant fees for holiday lessons while disadvantaging children from less privileged families who could not afford to pay for the lessons.

 A number of schools in Bulawayo, mostly primary schools, have indicated their intention to conduct holiday lessons.

 Some have communicated to parents that they will be charging $10 for grade seven vocational classes while high school teachers charge $30 to $50 per subject depending on the subject.

 Mavhima said it was illegal for schools to charge parents for extra lessons.

 "This is an administrative issue. If you've names of any specific school that's conducting holiday lessons, contact the area Provincial Education Director (PED). Otherwise, we don't allow pupils to be charged for extra lessons," he said.