FACT sets the record straight on reports of dumping children under its fees programme

Parents and guardians of school-going children have been urged to take an active interest in the affairs of their children, especially when schools call for a parents meeting. Many parents, by omission or commission, do not pay heed to such calls. This results in them missing important updates from school authorities, resulting in misinformation and problems arising.

This warning comes as some parents and guardians of children at Nyamauru High School in Mutare missed meetings which updated them on the school fees payment programme by non-governmental organisation FACT, which was suspending the support. In its place, government took the fees payment programme under the BEAM initiative.

The errant parents and guardians were subsequently served with demand letters from debt collectors engaged by the school, with some debts stretching over two years.

Through a spokesman, FACT denied dumping the children, saying it had fully informed parents and guardians of the development.

“The truth of the matter is that FACT Zimbabwe downscaled its financial assistance to children it was funding across the district and Nyamauru High School was not spared,” said the spokesman in response to our August 2, 2024 headed “FACT Zimbabwe dumps disadvantaged pupils at Nyamauru High School”.

The report stated that FACT Zimbabwe had stopped paying school fees for the vulnerable children “without informing parents and guardians” and that FACT Zimbabwe “silently withdrew from paying school fees for the disadvantaged pupils at Nyamauru high school in 2021, and failed to inform parents and guardians in time”.

Said the spokesman: “FACT Zimbabwe officially communicated the position to the school through the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and held meetings with parents at the school informing them of the development. However, most parents did not attend the meeting. All but 19 students were discontinued from funding and were laterally transferred to BEAM.”

It has become apparent to us that the source which supplied us with information gave the writer misleading and inaccurate information which led to the unfortunate negative reporting on the work FACT Zimbabwe is doing to assist under privileged children.