POLICE in Bulawayo yesterday urged schools to deposit their money in banks, saying keeping it on their premises could result in the institutions being targeted by robbers.
Schools opened for the third term yesterday and many parents will be paying school fees. Some payments are made in cash at schools.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Chief Inspector Precious Simango yesterday said law enforcement agents have noticed a trend pointing to schools becoming targets for robbers at the beginning of each term.
“We therefore call for school authorities to bank the funds they receive as they are at risk of being robbed. We are aware that as schools open there is a lot of payment of fees and criminals would want to take advantage of that as well,” she said. Chief Insp Simango said if necessary, after depositing their money at the bank, schools should leave their safe boxes open as a sign that no money is kept in their offices.
She also said parents should desist from letting their children use unregistered vehicles which cannot be traced.
“We’ve noticed that most parents allow their children to board illegal pirate taxis. We’ve observed that most of these pirate taxis overload the children. You will find close to 12 children in a vehicle which is supposed to carry six people. Moreover, these pirate taxis do not have passenger insurance in case of accidents,” Chief Insp Simango said.
“We appeal to parents to engage registered commuters to transport their children instead of risking their children in the pirate taxis. Most of these pirate taxis are driven by people who are not suited to drive public transport while most of the vehicles have been linked to dangerous crimes in the city.”
She said pupils should also follow road rules and avoid crossing roads at undesignated points.
“We are worried about the number of children being knocked down by vehicles on their way to school. We urge school children to cross roads at pedestrian crossings. In the same vein, motorists should also be on the lookout for school children as they drive on the city’s roads,” said Chief Insp Simango. Chronicle
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