The Government has called on schools to desist from forcing
parents to exclusively buy uniforms only at schools, giving parents leverage to
be able to buy from suppliers at usually lower prices.
A day after schools opened for the Second Term, Chronicle
exposed a uniforms scandal where some schools made it a cardinal rule for
parents to buy uniforms only at the educational institutions.
The headline of the article was ‘Schools ‘sewing uniform
corruption’. Our news crew later ran an investigation where this reporter posed
as a parent interested in buying additional school requirements such as
tracksuits for a Form Two student and a Grade Five pupil.
Armed with school phone numbers for several boarding
schools situated in the width and breadth of Bulawayo, Matabeleland North, and
South Provinces, this is what we unearthed.
At John Tallach, a prestigious school located in
Ntabazinduna on the outskirts of Bulawayo, a receptionist who answered the
phone said any uniforms bought from suppliers outside the school system will
not be accepted.
“If you have any outstanding things that your child doesn’t
have, like winter tracksuits, please come here and buy, nothing from outside
will be tolerated,” said the receptionist over phone.
Mr Wisdom Chikomba, whose twin daughters finished their
Form Four at John Tallach three years ago, at the height of the Covid-19
pandemic, said he endured the school’s strict policy on uniforms for years.
“It’s a very good school, no doubt about that but they can
be very strict when it comes to buying uniforms from outside the school. For
peace of mind it’s better to just buy your children’s uniforms from the
school,” said Mr Chikomba.
John Tallach headmaster Bonakele Ncube denied the
allegations.
“It is shocking and surprising to hear such allegations
because the school has never at any time sold any uniforms. Our uniforms are
bought from independent suppliers, with some parents in the clothing industry
even joining independent of the school too. The school has never barred any
student because of a uniform,” said the headmaster.
“We however do not accept customised uniforms that are
visibly out of shape and style like ‘ompompi’ and o ‘don’t touch’ and altered
dresses to be slim fits and mini-skirts or dresses. You are at liberty to visit
the school to confirm the truth.”
Our nex stop was Empandeni High School in Mangwe District
near Plumtree.
The school has both a primary and high school, which are
located side by side in rural Mangwe, about 140 kilometres from Bulawayo.
A Mrs Dube who answered the phone assured Chronicle that
everything that a parent wants for their child is available at the school,
hence there is no need to buy from suppliers such as leading schools uniform
dealers in Bulawayo or Plumtree.
Asked to talk to the school headmaster Mr Mandla Ndlovu,
the news crew was told that he is Bulawayo on school business.
“I can’t comment on why uniforms from outside the school
are not allowed. The headmaster is out of the office, maybe he can assist you,”
Mrs Dube said after being told that she was speaking to Chronicle.
In Bulawayo, at Matshayisikhova Primary School in Luveve suburb, a member of the school’s non-teaching staff also said parents are not advised to buy uniforms from outside.
“Sometimes parents buy uniforms, which don’t exactly meet the right colours of Matshayisikhova. So, the headmistress wants everyone to buy the school uniforms here.
“My children are now in secondary school so I don’t know how much the uniforms cost here but obviously the school will charge a bit extra to make a profit. That’s how it worked when my children were still in primary school here,” she said.
The news crew was given the school’s headmistress, Mrs Thabiso Phiri’s contact details but efforts to get a comment from her were fruitless as her phone continuously rang unanswered.
Primary and Secondary Education spokesman Taungana Ndoro is on record saying that the Government abhors the practice of schools forcing parents to buy uniforms only from the educational institutions.
“The ministry’s position has been very clear since 2018
that no parent must be forced to buy school uniforms at the school,” he said.
“Parents are free to buy wherever it is cheaper as long as
they have the specifications from the schools and the right colour codes,” said
Mr Ndoro. Chronicle
0 comments:
Post a Comment