Staff Reporter

Teachers across the country have applauded the Government for honouring its commitment to pay school fees for their children.

Last week, Government confirmed that the Public Service Commission (PSC) has processed more than ZWL820 million in school fees payments for children of 18 794 teachers.

A source close to Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) president, Obert Masaraure, said that the ARTUZ president applauded the Government for cushioning teacher with school fees payments.

“Masaraure applauded the Government for paying schools fees for teachers’ children. He said that the gesture was an indication that Government was aware of the teachers’ plight. However, he said that Government should consider reviewing the school fees allowances from ZWL20 000 per child to at least US$100.00 per child,” said the source.

A teacher a Bradley High School in Shamva who preferred anonymity said that the fees for all her three children were paid for by the Government. She further implored the Government to consider reviewing upwards the school fees allowances as some schools have hiked their tuition fees.

In a statement last week, the PSC Secretary to the Service Commissions, Dr Tsitsi Choruma, said that Government was committed to improving service conditions of all teachers.

Dr Choruma added that this year, PSC has processed school fees applications for over 41 000 children of teachers in primary and secondary schools countrywide. She further said that teachers who want to benefit from the school fees payment scheme should submit their applications to PSC offices by 30 January, 15 May and 15 September 2023 for the first, second and third terms respectively.

Meanwhile, last year the Government disbursed ZWL2.7 billion towards payment of tuition fees for 106 000 teachers’ children.