Corruption Investigators Swoop On Schools

Owen Kaura

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) has visited six schools in Harare and reached out to four more virtually, as it moves to act on schools that are illegally charging students tuition for extra lessons.

Zacc spokesperson, Commissioner John Makamure told ZTN that the commission has also reached out to 8 657 learners in the campaign.

“We are also addressing issues of illegally merging school accounts, rampant disregarding of tender procedures, illegal sale of school uniforms in which most school heads and SDC members are conflicted,” he said.

“Teachers are advised that extorting money through extra lessons is a criminal offence and therefore all those caught on the wrong side of the law will be arrested,” he warned.

Statutory Instrument (SI) 1 of 2020 makes it illegal for teachers to conduct paid extra lessons.

Zacc said investigations are ongoing and so they cannot provide statistics with regards to schools, teachers or heads who have been arrested.

Some schools are allegedly charging learners between US$5 and US$20 every month for extra
lessons.