Parents in last-minute back-to-school shopping rush

Source: The Herald – Breaking news.

 

Back to SCHOOL . . . Hanke Adventist High School learners board their bus at Robert Gabriel Mugabe Square yesterday. – Picture: Joseph Manditswara

Remember Deketeke, Herald Correspondent

Amid increasing costs of uniforms and stationery as shop owners cash in on last-minute shopping anxieties, parents and guardians are facing a daunting task in preparing their children for the new school term.

Yesterday, Harare was a hive of activity as the countdown to the new school term reached its climax.

Boarders trekked back to their learning institutions, while parents and guardians embarked on a desperate last-minute dash to secure school essentials and food for their children.

The usually tranquil streets were transformed into a frenzy of activity, with Robert Mugabe Square being the epicentre of the pandemonium.

Sensing an opportunity to cash in on the mayhem, shop owners hiked the prices of uniforms, leaving parents with even more financial challenges.

The sound of rustling bags, chatter, and honking buses filled the air as the city teetered on the brink of disorder.

Departing from the past, some schools have taken drastic measures to ensure the safety of learners, relocating to more secure sites to dodge the threat of robbers and thugs.

The usually mundane task of packing lunch had become a luxury, with some pupils indulging in fast-food – crowding famed outlets with their huge appetites. Others, however, made do with humble rice and chicken.

This scenario reprised itself across the city — at Mbare Musika Bus Terminal, Harare International Roadport, and the non-designated area around the Exhibition Park.

Nonetheless, in the middle of the confusion, a sense of unease settled over scores of parents.

This comes as some schools have been found on the wrong side of regulations, exacerbating anxieties among guardians and parents.

For many parents, this is a familiar struggle, having trodden the same path many a new term.

As witnessed by The Herald, one such school is Hanke Adventist High in Shurugwi, the Midlands Province. The school’s directive to collect upfront fees from learners before allowing them to board the bus, despite the outlawing of such practices by the Government, sparked controversy.

Parents like Mr Bishop Musvaire expressed both frustration and apprehension: “The school’s behaviour is unacceptable. They are going against the Government’s directive – adding to our already overwhelming burden.”

Mr Justice Chinamhora, another parent at Hanke Adventist High School, expressed his concerns, highlighting that although they were being squeezed by retailers and schools, they were hopeful that their children would deliver.

“While it was a challenge raising school fees, buying uniforms and stationery, we planned, so that our children’s education is not disrupted. However, the children must now strive to complement our efforts. We have worked hard to provide for them; it is their turn to make it count.”

As the day drew to a close, retailers revelled in the brisk business occasioned by the new term.

One manager, Mr Joseph Muchena, remarked: “The opening of schools has been a boon for us, especially with uniform sales”.

For parents, however, the real challenge was only just beginning – ensuring their children’s education was not disrupted by the anxieties, financial or otherwise, they faced.

Holding its breath, the city witnessed yet another sunset, anticipating the new school term would bring novel opportunities for learners and renewed hope to their parents.

Meanwhile, director of communications and advocacy in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Mr Taungana Ndoro, said they are prepared for the smooth opening of schools. He added that the ministry was finalising the competence-based curriculum to embark on the heritage-based one in the forthcoming term, intending to take it to full throttle by next year.

“Union representatives have assured us that teachers are geared for the opening of schools, indicating that they are ready to report for duty. We are looking forward to the smooth running of the term. Next year, our examination classes will be doing a heritage-based curriculum,” he said.

Mr Ndoro underscored that the school feeding programme will continue, emphasising that starting from this week, learners will be provided meals.

He implored parents to partake in cooking and providing relish in support of the scheme.