Source: ‘Stop demanding reports, transfer letters from returning learners’ – herald
Raymond Jaravaza, Sunday News Reporter
SCHOOLS across the country have been instructed to stop demanding performance reports and transfer letters from hundreds of schoolchildren whose parents or guardians fled anti-migrant protests in South Africa, as the Government moves to ensure their smooth integration into the education system.
The instruction comes in the wake of reports that some schools were reluctant to accept the affected school children and were demanding transfer letters and reports which many couldn’t get the opportunity to collect as they left in a huff.
Government has so far repatriated nearly 100 000 Zimbabweans including women and children of school going age.
In an interview with Sunday News, Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education director for communication and advocacy Mr Taungana Ndoro said Government has instructed District Schools Inspectors (DSIs) to direct school heads to facilitate smooth integration of the children into local educational institutions.
“The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is happy that the process to integrate school going children into our education system in primary and secondary schools across the country is smooth sailing. No school will be allowed to turn away the children and we have seen, for instance in Harare and Mashonaland West, schools are accepting them in large numbers.
The situation should be the same across the country,” said Mr Ndoro.
He said the Government is working on modalities to ensure there are enough teachers and resources to accommodate the high number of learners in some schools.On the issue of curriculum, Mr Ndoro said the returning children are being integrated into the country’s education system at a time when all schools have been directed to adopt the Heritage Based Curriculum (HBC).
He said HBC will standardise learning across the country and ensure that all pupils receive an education grounded in Zimbabwe’s history, culture, languages and national development priorities, while still allowing schools to offer international qualifications as a supplement.
“The children will benefit immensely from the Heritage Based Curriculum as the Government has put in place modalities to ensure that every child is in class and enough teachers are deployed to deal with the numbers of learners that are coming from South Africa,” he said.
Educationist and lecturer at a local college Mrs Miriam Dliwayo said she does not foresee the returning children facing challenges in adapting to the country’s education system.
“Children, especially the young ones are inquisitive by nature and they will fit into our education system with ease. It might be difficult at the beginning but with the right support and encouragement they will eventually fit in perfectly,” said Mrs Dliwayo.
Some parents said they had faced challenges in securing places for enrolment as some schools demanded reports from the learners’ previous schools which the parents did not have as they left in a rush. However, with the directive from the Ministry, parents are set to have a smooth transition.
The number of Zimbabweans seeking assistance to return home continues to rise as the situation in South Africa remains fluid, with the Government scaling up its response to meet the growing demand.
The repatriation programme is being coordinated through an Inter-Ministerial Committee and a national command centre established to oversee the transportation, reception and reintegration of returnees.
First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa has also chipped in to complement Government’s humanitarian response through a donation made after touring the Beitbridge Repatriation Centre on July 7.
The donation included 30 tonnes of rice, 20 tonnes of mealie-meal, more than 5 000 tracksuits, 1 500 diapers and 1 500 units of sanitary wear material for women, which assisted greatly in the repatriation and reintegration initiatives
Government has also acknowledged communities across the country for supporting the reintegration of returning Zimbabweans.
In addition to Zimbabweans, foreign nationals from Malawi and Zambia continue to arrive at Beitbridge Border Post after fleeing the unrest in South Africa and are receiving assistance through their respective embassies.
To ensure the smooth movement of returnees, the Border Management Committee, comprising the Department of Immigration, the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra), the Vehicle Inspection Department and ZimBorders, has stepped up measures to expedite immigration clearance for buses and trucks transporting returnees.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care, working with humanitarian partners including Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and the Higherlife Foundation, is also providing medical services at reception centres.
The Second Republic is intensifying efforts to facilitate the safe return and reintegration of Zimbabwean nationals into communities across the country.
The large-scale repatriation programme comes amid renewed anti-foreigner demonstrations in parts of South Africa that have displaced thousands of migrants, prompting Zimbabwe to activate an inter-ministerial response involving humanitarian assistance, border management, healthcare and social welfare support.
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