News / National
ZLHR commends school over refusal to release certificates to students
12 Feb 2016 at 05:41hrs | Views
The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights has commended the Townsend High School in Bulawayo for releasing results of students who were owing the school outstanding fees thereby avoiding a bruising legal battle.
In a statement the ZLHR) said it believes that education is a fundamental building block of human development in a society.
"We consider education as one of the strongest instruments for reducing poverty, improving health, gender equality, building peace, stability and prosperity," reads the statement.
"To us education is indeed a human right in itself and an indispensable means of realising other human rights. Hence, today, we are celebrating together with two Ngwasha sisters Tanaka and Takudzwa after they finally got their Ordinary Level certificates which had been withheld by Townsend High School in Bulawayo for non-payment of fees or levies."
ZLHR said Tanaka and Takudzwa completed their studies in 2013 and 2014 respectively and Townsend High School was adamant that their certificates were not going to be released because of issues relating to outstanding amounts in school fees or levies.
"The two sisters visited ZLHR's offices in Bulawayo seeking legal assistance after being enlightened concerning legal messages issued at one of ZLHR's Mobile Legal Clinics held recently where those in attendance were enlightened about how the use of the law (litigation) can equip one to access their constitutional social, economic and civil rights," reads the statement.
"ZLHR lawyers Lizwe Jamela and Nosimilo Chanayiwa swiftly responded by writing a letter to the school head at Townsend High School on 8 February 2016 stressing that the conduct of using children as pawns to force payment is unlawful."
ZLHR said in a speedy response, the School Head Mrs M Moyo took heed to the lawyers' intervention and released the Tanaka and Takudzwa's Ordinary Level certificates to the girls' legal practitioners on 09 February 2016 thereby saving the school from unnecessary legal battle.
In a statement the ZLHR) said it believes that education is a fundamental building block of human development in a society.
"We consider education as one of the strongest instruments for reducing poverty, improving health, gender equality, building peace, stability and prosperity," reads the statement.
"To us education is indeed a human right in itself and an indispensable means of realising other human rights. Hence, today, we are celebrating together with two Ngwasha sisters Tanaka and Takudzwa after they finally got their Ordinary Level certificates which had been withheld by Townsend High School in Bulawayo for non-payment of fees or levies."
ZLHR said Tanaka and Takudzwa completed their studies in 2013 and 2014 respectively and Townsend High School was adamant that their certificates were not going to be released because of issues relating to outstanding amounts in school fees or levies.
"The two sisters visited ZLHR's offices in Bulawayo seeking legal assistance after being enlightened concerning legal messages issued at one of ZLHR's Mobile Legal Clinics held recently where those in attendance were enlightened about how the use of the law (litigation) can equip one to access their constitutional social, economic and civil rights," reads the statement.
"ZLHR lawyers Lizwe Jamela and Nosimilo Chanayiwa swiftly responded by writing a letter to the school head at Townsend High School on 8 February 2016 stressing that the conduct of using children as pawns to force payment is unlawful."
ZLHR said in a speedy response, the School Head Mrs M Moyo took heed to the lawyers' intervention and released the Tanaka and Takudzwa's Ordinary Level certificates to the girls' legal practitioners on 09 February 2016 thereby saving the school from unnecessary legal battle.
Source - Byo24News
