Government advises on revised fees

Government says in the wake of revised fees regimes for various categories in secondary schools, head teachers should give students adequate time to pay school fees.

Director for secondary and distance education in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Chikondano Mussa, made the remarks Wednesday in Lilongwe during a press briefing.

“If guardians fail to pay the fees, they should write the education division manager, through head teachers, letters of withdrawal of their children in that academic year and request the place to be reserved for the following academic year,” explained Mussa.

She said such withdrawn students would apply for re-admission in the following academic year and that the reservation of a place is only for one year except where a medical condition and other circumstances dictate otherwise.

Apart from financial reasons, other acceptable grounds for withdrawal include being pregnant or responsible for pregnancy, prolonged sickness and taking care of siblings whenever evidence is provided.

The director added that government and other stakeholders will continue to provide bursaries to needy students in public secondary schools to reduce drop outs.

She, therefore, asked  the general public to help the ministry check any malpractice perpetrated by those administering the bursary scheme. n