Thursday June 6, 2024
Beledweyne (HOL) - School principals and parents in Baledweyne town have strongly opposed the Hirshabelle State Ministry of Education's fees imposed on grade eight students in primary schools.
The Ministry of Education in Hirshabelle State, which will conduct the class eight national exams for the 2023/2024 school year, has introduced a fee of $25 per student for their certificates before the exam, a requirement that was not previously required.
The ministry has mandated that students who do not pay the fee be barred from taking the exam. School administrators and parents have condemned this requirement as illegal.
In a joint press conference held in Baledweyne on Thursday, school principals rejected the fee demanded by the Hirshabelle state and expressed dissatisfaction with the policy.
"I have been in education for 45 years and have served as both a teacher and a principal. I have never seen a situation where students are required to pay for their certificates before knowing whether they will pass, fail, or even complete the exam. This is illegal, and we will not accept it," said Ahmed Daghane, one of the school principals in Baledweyne.
Some parents expressed their surprise at Hirshabelle's action and stated that they would not pay the fee. Despite the opposition, the Hirshabelle Ministry of Education has asked parents to pay the fixed fee for certificates before their children sit for the national exam for the 2023/2024 school year.