ZANIS COPY-SESTUZ supports Dr. Phiri on GCE centre fees

A teachers’ union has called on government to consider regulating the tuition centre fees levied on students intending to re-sit for their grade 12 General Certificate of Education (GCE) examinations.

Secondary School Teachers’ Union of Zambia (SESTUZ) General Secretary Emmanuel Zulu lamented that the tuition centre fees being charged by some schools were exorbitant.

Speaking to Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in an interview today in Lusaka, Mr. Zulu cited Lusaka province as one of the provinces that levied inflated tuition centre fees for student intending to sit for GCE examinations.

“There is need for government to regulate tuition centre fees unlike now where some centres charge higher than other centres. Take for instance Lusaka is the highest when it comes to charging tuition centre fees,” he explained.

He further explained that regulating tuition centre fees will assist in standardizing the fees levied on would be students wanting to sit for GCE.

Mr. Zulu said the exorbitant tuition centre fees have contributed to most students failing to sit for GCE exams.

“Regulating tuition centre fees, I think will assist in standardizing the fees levied on GCE student’s countrywide. Most of the students are failing to pay the tuition fees resulting in them not sitting for the GCE exams,” he said.

Mr. Zulu said the union shares the same concern with the Minister of Education John Phiri over the exorbitant fees which GCE students pay.

He said it was only right for the Ministry of Education to intervene and ensure that the tuition centre fees were standardized countrywide.

Recently, Dr. Phiri was quoted in the media cautioning examination centres to refrain from levying exorbitant tuition fees on students intending to sit for GCE.