Most boarding schools in Rusape, Mutare, Nyanga, Chipinge
and Buhera failed to recorded 100 percent turn-out as hundreds of pupils who
had anticipated to be reunited with their peers and teachers were turned away
for failing to pay fees and levies in full.
However, day schools in the province failed to bar pupils
from attending school as officials from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary
Education kept a close eye on their operations. Both pupils and teachers were
in attendance, with lessons in full throttle.
The teachers, with the exception of those marking national
examination papers, reported for duty, despite calls for strike by some unions.
Lessons resumed on Monday for Grade Sevens, Form Fours and Sixes.
The learning institutions are ready to receive the rest of
the classes which are expected to resume lessons on Monday.
A parent with a child at St Faith’s High, who refused to be
named for fear of victimisation, decried the manner in which learners were
treated by the school authorities on the first day of school.
All Anglican schools demanded full fees upfront. St Faith’s
High School is charging $30 000, and the parent, a civil servant, had paid $26
000, anticipating to clear the balance after getting paid this week.
“They are demanding their fees in full without any room for
negotiation. I had dispatched my child with a balance of $4 000, but they
denied him entry at the gate. When my child called to inform me of the
development, I was forced to borrow some money and rush to the school to clear
the balance. When I got there I found several parents in the same predicament,”
said the aggrieved parent.
Anglican Diocese of Manicaland education secretary, Mr
Tendai Mandiringa, said barring pupils from entering their premises was a
strategy to compel parents to pay fees on time. He said a great percentage of
the parents had paid up as a result of the strategy.
“It is a way of encouraging parents to pay school fees
timeously. We cannot encourage them to bring any amount because the fees are
supposed to sustain these pupils at the boarding schools. Children at boarding
schools need food and other essentials, hence parents must pay to enable our
schools to meet the children’s needs,” said Mr Mandiringa.
“Those making noise had not paid anything. Those who had
made partial payments were not turned away. About 10 percent of parents have
not brought their children because of fees and we hope by the end of the week
they would have paid up,” he added.
Mr Mandiringa said their schools across the province are
open, adding that learning is in progress.
“In terms of learners’ attendance, we are over 90 percent
and all teachers for exam classes are at work, with the exception of those
marking last year’s exams. Preparations to receive the other batch of non-exam
classes are at an advanced stage,” he said.
Mr Wallace Dhliwayo, a parent with a child at Gaza Primary
School in Chipinge, castigated school authorities for demanding fees upfront. “The
school is demanding fees upfront, but no lessons are being carried out. This is
daylight robbery. Pupils are returning home, an indication that nothing is
being done,” he said.
National Association for School Development Committees
(NASDC) official, Mr Ranganai Mupakati said the reopening of schools is
imperative for the education, social development and mental and physical
welfare of children.
“Some day schools had not been offering online lessons and
this affected our children,” said Mr Mupakati.
Last week President Mnangagwa assured the nation that
Government has put in place adequate measures to ensure the safety of returning
pupils and teachers.
Schools are following Covid-19 standard operating
procedures thoroughly – with the pupils and teachers always having their face
masks on and sanitising their hands frequently.
Temperature check are also conducted at the entry points. Only
35 students are allowed in a classroom – a measure that has forced most schools
to resort to either hot seating or alternating the days for non-exam pupils to
attend classes.
Pupils are not allowed to share desks and classrooms are
being disinfected at regular intervals. Manica Post
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