(Last Updated on February 2, 2016 by Editor)
ZIMBABWE – The Grade 3 teacher, Laina Nankuwo, is accused of forcing all pupils in her class to pay for extra lessons or risk exclusion from normal lessons.
According to a parent whose child is in Nankuwo’s class, the lessons costs US$5 per week and the class has 52 pupils. The parent revealed how the teacher was said to be conducting the extra lessons during lessons time arguing that she was only teaching those who had paid for the lessons.
“She convinced parents to pay for the extra lessons and when asked what time the extra lessons were being conducted, she said they were done same time during the normal lesson session.
“At first I resisted paying for the extra lessons but my child then came home and pleaded that I should pay or else the teacher would not teach the child. I asked my child how these lessons were being done during lessons and was told that the teacher was selecting those who had paid and teaching them while the non-paying were not taught,” said the angry parent.
Another parent who spoke to H-Metro reiterated the same statement arguing that she could not afford the US$5 as she was also a civil servant.
“Where does she expect me to get that money from, I’m also struggling to make ends meet and it is very unfair. What pains me is that she is now focusing on those who would have paid for extra lessons, this just means is non-paying children are not learning at all while we paid fees.
“This is really unfair and we have already informed the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and she was instructed to give back the money she had been paid but she has not.
“She continues to defy the order to pay back the money and stop conducting the extra lessons. She is secretly taking money from parents and going ahead with the extra lessons,” fumed another parent.
The Deputy Head referred all the questions to the parent ministry while the District Education Officer didn’t pick her phone until time of going to print.