School should not charge fees

NO school that receives tuition fee free (TFF) funding is to collect any form of fees from parents, guardians and children.
The directive from a National Executive Council decision in Feb 2016 is still in effect.
This means it is unlawful for any school operating under the National Education System and covered by TFF to charge fees.
Education Minister Nick Kuman says more than K115 million for TFF has been released for the 2019 academic year.
The total amount includes allocations for the final fourth quarter of 2018, which were withheld due to late release of funds and closure of schools.
There are reports from several schools that there are still no changes to the amount in their respective bank accounts.
We have witnessed and reported over the years about schools encountering difficulties in terms of infrastructure maintenance, lack of learning materials and equipment, and rundown amenities at the beginning of school year.
Whose responsibility is it to maintain school buildings or build new ones?
This is a matter of grave concern because school buildings are crumbling all around the country.
Parents, teachers and school boards stand by helplessly expecting help from somewhere.
Ironically, the same decades-old buildings are being filled up with an increased number of children because of the Government’s TFF education policy.
Go no further than the capital city to realise the extent of neglect and inability by schools to maintain a decent standard of school infrastructure all year round.
The problem of deteriorating school buildings and the very grave health and safety issues facing student and staff in schools is common among many schools.
Those in the National Capital District are no better than the rest.
Infrastructure involves a lot of investment by school boards, which cannot rely on the Government or some chance benefactor.
Schools administrations must be given the leeway to raise much-needed funds for maintenance of existing school buildings and construction of new facilities.
It is illogical for the Education Department to issue a blanket restriction on schools from raising money through project fees because of the TFF policy.
The department must realise that TFF funds are not sufficient.
Even if the money is faithfully remitted to school accounts, they are mainly for purchase of school materials.
What happens to much-needed infrastructure development like maintaining dilapidated classrooms or replacing over-used toilet bowls?
Indeed, the TFF policy has placed a burden on school administrations, which are now struggling to maintain an increased number of students in rundown classrooms.
This is merely echoing what has been already expressed by a number of school headmasters and boards. Everyone welcomes the Government’s TFF education policy which now provides access to students who would otherwise struggle, or be denied an education because of economic reasons.
However, there are very obvious drawbacks of education policy – one of which is the limited number of school infrastructure or rundown facilities.
Schools should be allowed to charge project fees so they can rebuild or refurbish school buildings and create more classroom space for the growing number of children.
School boards on their part must be made more accountable in their responsibility over physical infrastructure, ensuring safe and hygienic school environments.
There is no point in filling up classrooms and not achieving the aim of quality education.