A government primary school demands fees the government has abolished
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The Situation
What They Said
“You can't enrol your child without paying the school development fund, PTA fees, and sports levy.”
Despite the Zambian government's abolition of primary school fees, many schools continue to charge a variety of levies under different names — school development funds, PTA fees, uniform requirements, and textbook charges. These unofficial fees effectively exclude children from low-income families. The Ministry of Education has specifically prohibited these charges at government primary schools, and the District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) can investigate and act against schools that charge them.
The Fallacy
Renamed Fee Avoids Prohibition Fallacy
The school reframes the prohibited fees under different names — 'development fund,' 'PTA contribution,' 'levy' — implying these are different from the banned 'school fees.' This is a semantic evasion. The government's policy abolishing primary school fees covers any fee, contribution, or levy that conditions enrolment or attendance on payment. The name given to the charge does not change its character.
What the Law Says
Your Legal Foundation
Education Act No. 23 of 2011
Section 4 — Free Basic Education
“Basic education in government schools shall be free, and no pupil shall be denied access to or expelled from school on account of their failure to pay any fee, levy, or contribution.”
The school cannot deny enrolment because of any fee regardless of what it is called. Your child has a legal right to enrol without payment.
Ministry of Education Circular (Fee Abolition Policy)
Policy Directive — Prohibited Charges at Government Primary Schools
“All government primary schools are prohibited from charging pupils any fees, levies, or contributions as a condition of enrolment or attendance.”
This policy directive from the Ministry of Education has the force of regulatory guidance. Schools that violate it face action by the DEBS. Report violations immediately.
What Scripture Says
God's Word on This
Matthew 19:14 (NIV)
“Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.'”
Jesus specifically rebuked those who created barriers to children's participation. A school that bars a child's enrolment because of illegal fees is creating exactly the kind of barrier Scripture condemns. The law removes the barrier — use it.
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You Know the Law — But Do You Know What to Say?
Reading your rights is one thing. Using them under pressure — calmly, correctly, in the right words — is what actually protects you. Members get the scripted rebuttal for this exact situation: what to say first, what to say if they push back, the tone to use, and the constitutional provision to cite. Practise out loud with audio until it's automatic.