Minister warns schools against hiking fees

KIGALI - The State Minister in charge of Primary and Secondary Education, Theoneste Mutsindashyaka, has warned school head teachers against the unnecessary hiking of school fees. He said that they should follow the right procedures while increasing school fees. Mutsindashyaka issued this warning during a meeting between MINEDUC and over 700 head teachers. The meeting is aimed at charting the course for the 2009 academic year which starts tomorrow. “Head teachers who raise school fees anyhow should stand warned because the ministry is not going to tolerate such actions,” warned the minister. He added that schools must follow the right protocol whereby they are required to write a proposal to the district authorities who would in turn see if the increase is necessary before authorising it. Of late, there have been reports where private schools have been hiking school fees causing a lot of worry to parents. “We need to solve all the problems in the ministry amicably so that we can be able to raise the children of Rwanda in a manner that befits our culture but it is you the heads who have to set examples to these students by being honest,” Mutsindashyaka advised. Among the key things the ministry will embark on this year, is dealing with drug abuse, corruption and completely wiping out the genocide ideology. Mutsindashyaka also said that other areas of concern this year would be increasing of discipline in students, cleanliness, environmental protection through cooking with Biogas in schools and emphasising teaching of Rwandan cultural values. Ends