Pre-primary and lower primary pupils may have returned to school for their third term nearly two weeks ago but some parents are still wondering why they are required to pay full school fees for a shorter term. 

Schools reopened for hundreds of thousands of youngsters in pre-primary and lower primary on August 2 and they are set to close on September 17, meaning they will study for nearly seven weeks. This is considerably shorter duration compared to usual school terms that normally range between 10 weeks and three months.

This is a catch-up term for nursery and lower primary pupils as they were unable to complete their studies during the previous academic year because they were the last to return to school following last year’s prolonged school closures due to Covid-19.

The pupils are expected to embark on the next academic year almost immediately after completing the current term and this itself has raised concerns among parents who reckon it will leave them no time to look for school fees for the next term.

A source at the Ministry of Education said the first term of next academic year is set to start around September 20, three days after the end of the third term studies for pre-primary and lower primary pupils.

Rwanda’s school calendar has recently been revised with first terms set to be opening in September.

"It is a big issue for us parents,” said Agnes Muhire, a mother from Gatsata in Gasabo District with two children in lower primary school. "We are paying the same tuition for a period that’s almost half the normal duration of a term and then again pay school fees for the next term immediately. It’s unfair.” 

Parents complain that not only is it not fair, but there is also a lack of consideration because children are expected to finish the third term and immediately begin another academic year.

Alphose Munyankindi, a parent from Rulindo District, said, "We are required to raise school fees for two terms almost at the same time, which is a big challenge especially considering the times we are in (of Covid-induced challenges).”

Munyankindi also argued that since these are little children they need a break to recuperate and prepare for the next academic year.

Damascene Nsabimana, a parent from Gisozi Sector, Gasabo District who has three children in lower primary, said: "We are asking our school to see if it’s possible to give us some days so we can be able to have time to look for school fees for next term.”

Ministry considers short break for youngsters

Speaking to The New Times about the two issues, Gaspard Twagirayezu, the Minister of State in charge of Primary and Secondary Education,  said, "For public schools, education is free except some little money that parents are asked for to cater for other things like feeding.”

In the case of private schools, he added, school fees is agreed upon between the school administration and the parents, calling on private schools to be open about this term’s tuition.

The minister also said they were looking into how to slot in a short break for the youngsters before they could return to school for next academic year.

"We haven’t fixed the dates yet but we will consider it,” he said.

Adrienne Mukamurigo, the head teacher of Saint Gabriel Nursery and Primary School in Nyagatovu, Kimironko in the City of Kigali, said that their school and parents committee discussed the issue of school fees for the ongoing term and agreed to slash it by 40 per cent.

"We considered the matter and reached a compromise that we believe is fair to both sides," she told The New Times.