The Parliamentary Committee on Education has described the continued payment of boarding fees in public boarding secondary schools as a setback in the implementation of free secondary education. 

Chairperson of the committee Mutani Tambala says some parents are still struggling to raise the boarding fees for their lads. 

Mutani spoke on Saturday when the committee visited St. Luis Community Day Secondary School and Balaka Secondary School to appreciate the impact of free secondary education in the two schools. 

"Hearing from the school authorities, they are also struggling to run other crucial operations because of inadequate funds. As a committee, we will write a report to relevant authorities, in this case the Ministry of Education," said Tambala. 

During the visit to Balaka Secondary School, a form three student, Aaron Soko said previously they were paying K200, 000 but only K50,000 which catered for tuition fees and school development was removed leaving K150, 000 for boarding fees.

"It is my hope that government will scrap off the boarding fees to make the secondary education completely free," said Aaron. 

Headteacher of Balaka Secondary School Margret Mbwebwe said they removed K50,000 from the school fees package as per directive but the grant they are receiving from the treasury is K32, 500, a deficit of K17, 500.

"The flow of funding from the treasury is unpredictable, the struggle to pay our 21 ground labourers and other staff is serious and the increase of food and other services is also a challenge," said Mbwebwe. 

Board Member of the NGO Coalition for Child Rights George Jobe hailed the education committee of parliament for monitoring the progress of the free secondary education adding that lessons are being learnt from the free education program.  

"Our ultimate role as Civil Society Organizations is oversight on government programs and we commend legislators who are part of government for monitoring public programs like the free education program," said Jobe. 

Congestion in hostels, torn mattresses, broken beds and window glasses, inadequate desks in classrooms and shortage of teachers were other challenges the students and teachers explained to the committee.