MoBE assistant minister, Nnaniki Makwinja said they have not received any report on that matter. “We have never received such a complaint," she said. Makwinja was responding to a question from the Member of Parliament (MP) for Francistown West, Ignatius Moswaane who asked if the minister is aware that some students will not be able to report for Form 4 as their parents are unable to pay their outstanding school fees. Reflecting on a statement made by the then minister in 2014, Makwinja said the ministry still maintains that no child should be excluded from continuing with their schooling or be denied certificates or anything else on account of debt owed to the school. “All debts resulting from failure to pay school fees, loss of both library and textbooks and any other debt incurred by a student should be followed up with the parents.
In a situation where a child is proceeding from junior secondary school to a senior secondary school, names and other information relating to the debt should be forwarded to the senior secondary school. The school where the child has been admitted will pursue the matter with the consenting parent,” she said. Makwinja added that it remains the responsibility of both the school head and regional directors to follow up with parents and collect money owed to the schools. She said the ministry had directed school heads through Directives and Savingrams to take heed of this issue and desist from denying students to obtain their certificates and testimonials.
