Harare, (New Ziana) – The government will soon shut down illegal private schools operating in unapproved locations, a Cabinet Minister has said.

Responding to questions in the Senate on Thursday, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Torerai Moyo stated that the days of such schools are numbered.

Chief Fortune Charumbira raised concerns about the location of some private schools, mentioning that in his constituency, he had seen students coming from a building located near a bar.

“Some private schools are causing problems by being situated next to bars, which is not appropriate for children,” he said.

Moyo confirmed that many of the schools are operating unlawfully, with people opening private schools without following the legal framework.

“There are laws in place that govern the opening of schools. I have already discussed this with my directors, and we are working on the necessary paperwork to present to Cabinet for approval to close these schools. Once the Cabinet makes its decision, we will proceed with the closures,” he said.

He emphasized that government policy requires private schools to be properly registered with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.

“Children should be learning in registered, properly equipped schools. Currently, some schools are operating wherever they want, with inadequate facilities. For example, some schools have just two rooms, and over 50 students are crammed into one. This is unacceptable, both for the students’ education and their health,” Moyo said.

He assured the Senate that the Ministry would take swift action to address the issues, stating; “It is time to deal with these problems, and we will close down such schools to ensure that private institutions operate legally.”

New Ziana