Why are we still paying school fees after 40 years?

Makoni Central legislator David Tekeshe has asked why people are still paying school fees for their children and yet the government promised free education by the year 2000.

Zanu PF through its Vision 2020 had promised to implement the education for all policy to ensure everyone has a chance to go to school.

However, about 20 years after the lapse of the 2020 Vision, children are still expected to pay school fees.

Those who are not able to pay are blocked from attending classes.

Speaking in the National Assembly, Honourable Tekeshe said failure to implement the promise has widened the gap between the haves and have-not.

“My major question is why are we still talking about school fees 40 years after independence? Year 2000 had a vision of free education for all. Where did this vision go?

“Today those who are fully attending classes are those from well up backgrounds. The have-not cannot afford to do that. The gap between the rich and the poor cannot be covered because there is no equality.

“During the war we were told there would be free education but 40 years after independence there is nothing like that. Given the wealth that this country has, we should be having free education now.

Education is a right for everyone but it is only a right for the rich ones,” he said.

Honourable Tekeshe added that most places in rural areas are not connected in terms of internet which makes it difficult to do online learning.

Due to COVID-19 regulations which resulted in lockdowns, most schools were forced to rely on doing online lessons.

Tekeshe said “I could not attend to two Parliament sessions when I was in Chiendambuya because there is no network.

“Come to think of it, if there is no network how would you implement e-learning? If there was free education we would not be talking about free sanitary wear. This should be basic and accessible to everyone.

“People should go beyond our borders to see how other countries are doing. We should copy the good things other countries are doing. Let us come together and think twice about this,” he said. Get more Covid-19 Stats from CovidZW.info