*Government Implements New Rules to Ensure Access to Education* © 𝗭𝗕𝗖 𝗢𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 > https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaKnCI70wajrXc63FC0w > 𝙵𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚘𝚠 𝙾𝚞𝚛 𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝𝚜𝙰𝚙𝚙 𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚕 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝙽𝚎𝚠𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙴𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚝𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 The government has introduced a new Statutory Instrument (S.I. 13 of 2025) that prohibits schools from barring children from attending classes due to non-payment of fees or the lack of a birth certificate. According to the new regulation, “no child shall be denied access to education for failing to pay school fees or for not possessing a birth certificate.” The government stated, “Basic education is compulsory and, if the parents of the pupil cannot afford the tuition fees and levies at a government school, the State shall assist, within the limits of the resources available to it, in providing that education.” It further emphasized, “No pupil shall be excluded from school for non-payment of any form of school fees or levies.” President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government also declared that “no head of a public school shall refuse to enroll a school-aged child solely because the child does not possess a birth certificate.” In another important provision, the government stated that if a girl who is a pupil becomes pregnant, the school’s head must provide psycho-social supportive services to her and her parents. The girl may stay in school as long as possible before giving birth and can return after recovery, if she and her parents choose to do so. -NewZim