Government Bans Students from Entering Teachers’ Quarters Without Valid Reason

The government has introduced new regulations that restrict students from entering teachers’ living quarters unless they have a valid reason.

Additionally, no student will be denied access to education due to unpaid fees, lack of a birth certificate, pregnancy, or poor academic performance.

These policies were officially outlined by Primary and Secondary Education Minister Torerayi Moyo on Friday, February 14, under Statutory Instrument 13 of 2025.

The regulations aim to address critical issues such as drug abuse, bullying, and sexual harassment in schools.

According to Section 12, if a female student becomes pregnant, the school must provide psycho-social support to assist her. The guidelines state that:

• The school head must promptly inform the girl’s parents if they are not already aware of the situation.
• The school must arrange psycho-social support services for the student and her family.
• If the girl and her parents agree, she may continue attending classes for as long as possible before giving birth and may resume school when her health allows.

In Section 14, students are explicitly prohibited from entering staff residential quarters. It states:

1. Students are not permitted in teachers’ housing facilities.
2. Schools must establish clear guidelines for students accessing staff offices and related areas to ensure their safety.
3. An exception applies if the student is a child or relative of the staff member living in the quarters.

Section 18 grants school heads the power to suspend a student for up to 14 days if serious misconduct is suspected, allowing time for investigations. However, before suspension, the student must be given a fair opportunity to respond, with the support of their parents.

Under Section 20, schools cannot expel students for non-payment of fees, although parents and guardians are still responsible for settling tuition costs before the beginning of each term. The regulations also reinforce that:

• Basic education is compulsory, and the government will provide assistance to children from financially disadvantaged families within available resources.
• A lack of a birth certificate cannot be used as grounds to deny a child enrolment in a government school.
• Admission into government schools cannot be determined solely by a student’s academic performance.

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