Govt introduces building levy in schools, $120m needed each year

Government plan to further burden parents as the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education will next year introduce a building levy on all schoolchildren in a bid to raise funds for the construction of houses for teachers.

The Ministry projects $120 million will be raised yearly by levying the four million pupils at learning institutions countrywide, although authorities are yet to determine the sum each pupil will contribute.

 According Minister Lazaras Dokora, although the education sector needed more than 2 000 new schools, Government would start with the construction of teachers' houses in both rural and urban areas next year.

"We have a huge deficit of infrastructure in the country for schools and that infrastructure begins with teachers' housing and then we look at classrooms.

"In 2013, we produced an analysis which we submitted to Cabinet to say 2 056 schools needed to be constructed but each time when we say schools - whether urban or rural - we must include school teachers' houses" said Dokora.

"We must engage with municipalities so that they set aside stands where we can build teachers' houses. We don't want to fail to transfer a teacher or teachers because of lack of accommodation, because then we will be failing to focus on the mandate of the ministry.

Zimbabwe Teachers' Association chief executive Mr Sifiso Ndlovu said by building houses for teachers, Government will retain qualified teachers, especially in rural areas.

 Meanwhile, some schools in Bulawayo have started consulting parents over contributions to build Early Child Development (Grade 0) classroom blocks.

 Milton Junior School has imposed $100 per each pupil.