Schools opened yesterday for all classes except Form One and Lower Six, after a four week delay needed to see the fourth wave of Covid-19 ebb to much safer levels,.
Some schools, especially in urban areas, had fewer than
expected teachers with some teachers reporting in, but not teaching. Ministry
of Primary and Secondary Education spokesperson Mr Taungana Ndoro confirmed
that attendance had varied.
“The first day was generally okay although some teachers
and pupils did not turn up especially in urban areas due to various reasons,
but we expect the situation to be clearer by the end of the week.”
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information,
Publicity and Broadcasting Services Mr Nick Mangwana also acknowledged the
contrasting turnout in some schools.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Permanent
Secretary Mr Nick Mangwana
“Nationally some schools have 100 percent teacher and
student attendance, while others have poor teacher attendance on the first day
of opening,” he wrote on his Twitter handle.
He added that schools had also opened normally in Buhera
district.
In Harare some pupils were sent home due to the
unavailability of teachers, although others carried out their activities
normally.
At Glen View 8 Primary School a security guard was doing
temperature checks and sanitising all learners before they entered the school
gate, in line with the Covid-19 standard operating procedures.
At Glen View 3 Secondary School there was a high turnout of
pupils and teachers who were carrying out their usual duties.
In Mashonaland West there was huge turnout of learners at
schools in Chinhoyi town and the rest of the province yesterday as schools
commenced 2022 first term, but there was a low turnout among teachers in some
schools.
Many teachers did not report for duty despite the
Government having met its end of the deal as far as remuneration was concerned
including receiving an additional US$75 of Covid-19 allowance in hard currency.
A visit by The Herald at Lomagundi and Sinoia Primary and
Chinhoyi High Schools in the provincial capital showed that few staff members
reported for duty with learners not being attended to.
“I’m completely hurt by the teachers’ behaviour. While they
spent nearly two years receiving salaries, but not working due to Covid-19,
they have chosen not to report for duty citing several challenges,” said a
concerned parent, Mr Rigby Tamirirwa.
Meanwhile, some parents who failed to meet the opening
deadline to prepare for their children going back to school, were yesterday
making last minute purchases of stationery and uniforms.
In Kariba, some learners were turned away for not paying
school fees while some parents were making last minute arrangements to pay
fees.
Although some teachers did not turn for lessons on the
first day of school, the schools managed to open.
Acting provincial education director Mr Jason Dzveta said
all schools in the province managed to open with selection of Form Ones
students now underway.
He said efforts were being made to gather enough
information on why some teachers snubbed lessons although he confirmed that
there was relatively fair turnout of teachers in the rural areas.
In Masvingo schools reopened for the first term with
teachers reporting for duty, but most of them not conducting any lessons.
A visit by The Herald at schools such as Victoria Junior
and High School, Shakashe Primary showed that teachers who reported for duty
did not conduct lessons while a few others did not turn up.
Provincial education authorities said conservative
estimates showed that 84 percent of teachers had reported for duty across the
province.
However, they did not conduct any lessons with learners at
schools such as Victoria High spending the first day in the school hall.
In Marondera, schools opened on high note with most pupils
turning up and ready to learn.
At Cherutombo High School, Nyameni Secondary and Primary
Schoos and Marondera High School the number of pupils who attended classes was
satisfactory although some teachers did not turn up.
UMAA Institute founder Dr Cleopas Kundiona said there were
prepared for the opening of schools and the commenced smoothly.
“We were prepared for this date considering that Government
give us enough time to prepare and even parents were as evidenced high turn up
of pupils,” said Dr Kundiona. Herald
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