The Opposition will challenge the legality of the decision by the Department of Education to suspend principals of schools throughout the country for charging project fees.
Opposition Leader Don Polye said from advice he received from his lawyers there are no legal standing under the Education Act to execute the suspension of school principals for charging extra fees on students.
“I have standing to take legal actions because they (Principals) have not broken any laws,” Polye said in a media conference today.
The Department of Education in a circular warned school principals and board chairman’s throughout the country not to impose and fees on students under the National Government’s free education policy.
According to the Opposition, principals of 37 schools in the Southern Region had already been issued their letters of suspension.
The Opposition Leader said schools’ action to charge fees are justifiable because the Tuition Free Fee (TFF) funding is yet to hit school accounts.
This is the second week of the new school year for public schools in the country.
Polye said the government’s free education policy is a failure because the disbursement of funds are always delayed and the funding is inadequate to cover a term’s expenses.
“I ask the Education Minister and Secretary to have common sense and think pragmatically.”
He also challenged the Education Department to prove that all TFF funds in the last four years were delivered on time and there is no need for schools to charge additional fees.