News / Education
Pupils blocked from writing end of year examinations
17 Nov 2016 at 12:40hrs | Views
CHIWESHE - Gweshe Secondary school in Chiweshe, Mashonaland Central children's right to education is being violated as those in arrears are not being allowed to sit for their end of year examinations.
Such conduct is a violation of the right to education as enshrined in chapter 27 of the Constitution, school heads and School development committee (SDC) chairpersons are taking the law into their hands as they are barring pupils from writing their end of year exams over non-payment of fees.
Parents who spoke to Bulawayo24.com expressed their dismay over the issue and are seeking assistance from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to act against this unruly conduct by some headmasters.
"This habit of barring children from writing exams is a violation of children's rights to education. The Minister should help us our children are suffering they should just write we know they need money in schools but as we look for money our children should be learning. We also understand that pupils should not be turned away as they are not responsible for the payment of school fees it is our duty as parents instead schools should take legal action against the parents and not disrupt our children from learning" explained the source.
The school head Mr Matune's mobile phone went unanswered up to the time of this writing.
In a related incident Devuli high school in Buhera Manicaland province children are also being turned away from writing exams, it appears the practice is prevalent country wide despite the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education being on record saying headmasters should not turn away children for non-payment of school fees.
Such conduct is a violation of the right to education as enshrined in chapter 27 of the Constitution, school heads and School development committee (SDC) chairpersons are taking the law into their hands as they are barring pupils from writing their end of year exams over non-payment of fees.
Parents who spoke to Bulawayo24.com expressed their dismay over the issue and are seeking assistance from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to act against this unruly conduct by some headmasters.
"This habit of barring children from writing exams is a violation of children's rights to education. The Minister should help us our children are suffering they should just write we know they need money in schools but as we look for money our children should be learning. We also understand that pupils should not be turned away as they are not responsible for the payment of school fees it is our duty as parents instead schools should take legal action against the parents and not disrupt our children from learning" explained the source.
The school head Mr Matune's mobile phone went unanswered up to the time of this writing.
In a related incident Devuli high school in Buhera Manicaland province children are also being turned away from writing exams, it appears the practice is prevalent country wide despite the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education being on record saying headmasters should not turn away children for non-payment of school fees.
Source - Byo24News
